Health bosses face fines if NHS staff are not protected against the flu outbreak
HEALTH bosses face fines if NHS staff aren’t protected against the flu outbreak.
Financial penalties are being discussed in Whitehall as four in ten workers haven’t had the vaccination.
Compulsory injections are being actively considered by government to protect patients - otherwise staff could be barred from clocking on.
A senior source last night said: “All options remain open to ensure flu doesn’t spread any further than it needs to.
“It’s staggering why the uptake isn’t higher as all NHS staff can get a free flu jab.”
Hospital admissions rose by a third in the past week and are eight times higher than twelve months ago.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock says it is “wrong” for staff not to have the vaccine “without a good medical reason”.
Figures show that 61 per cent of NHS staff have had the injection but uptake has fallen to 25 per cent at one health trust.
Bruce Keogh, former NHS medical director, said there was a need for “serious debate” on mandatory flu jabs nearly two years ago.
Unions have said the government should be working with trusts and unions to get more staff vaccinated.
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