Trust’s flu vaccination campaign nominated for national awards

The team behind Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals’ (DBTH) campaign to vaccinate staff against the flu has been nominated for two NHS Employer awards;  ‘Best Team’ and ‘Most Creative’.

The Trust, which runs three hospitals in the region as well as outpatient services at various community sites, administered almost 4,000 vaccines to staff directly involved in patient care and treatment in just four weeks, 500 more than the previous year’s efforts and ten days sooner.

Each year, the Trust’s flu campaign is spearheaded by a dedicated team of vaccinators made up of Occupational Health and Wellbeing practitioners and hospital clinicians of all grades and levels. This team also includes Chief Executive, and registered nurse, Richard Parker, as well as Moira Hardy, Director of Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professionals, both of whom administered the vaccine to a number of colleagues throughout the hospital.

In order to help promote the availability of the jab, each year the Trust takes on cinematic inspiration, with this year’s flu vaccination campaign featured Disney Pixar’s ‘The Incredibles’. Dubbed the ‘Flucredibles’, vaccinators adopted a decidedly heroic posture, complete with face masks and their own costumes, making them highly recognisable within the Trust, alongside a wide-range of posters and other materials.

So popular was this year’s campaign that the Trust ran out of vaccine after just three days, when more than 1,600 clinicians opted to get their vaccination. In all, when stocks were available, the team managed to reach the national target of 75 per cent in just 21 days, 38% faster than last year’s efforts, with 97% of all doctors opting for the jab, alongside almost 80% of all nurses at the Trust.

Richard Parker OBE, Chief Executive at the DBTH, said: “This is another fantastic achievement for the Trust and I want to wish our team of Flu Fighters the very best of luck following the nominatuons. Each year it is extremely important that we prepare for flu season as best we can, with the flu vaccine being a significant part of these preparations.

“This year, the team went above and beyond in order to protect patients and colleagues alike from the flu. The enthusiasm for this year’s flu campaign has far outstripped our, already high, expectations and I want to thank everyone involved, particularly our vaccination team who have been tireless in their efforts.”

The NHS Employers Flu Fighter 2019 takes place 25 March in Manchester’s Midland Hotel. The Trust is nominated for ‘Most Creative’ which awarded to those Trust’s showing ‘outstanding creativity in the use of communications’ in addition to the ‘Best Team’ award, which recognises organisations for delivering a ‘successful flu vaccination campaign, brilliant leadership, team working and delegation’.