A HOSPITALS trust is top for flu vaccinations.

Some 92.3 per cent of staff chose to receive the vaccination, giving East Lancashire Hospitals Trust the highest uptake rate ever.

It also ranks them as the top acute NHS trust in the country for flu vaccinations.

Kevin Moynes, director of human resources at the trust, said: “It’s great to see almost 100% of our staff eagerly volunteered for the vaccine.

"It’s an important positive way for us to protect ourselves, our families and our patients.

"Staff clearly understand the serious risks a flu outbreak can bring and were willing to be vaccinated.

"Last year our uptake was 85.6% and to top this by so much is exceptional.”

To encourage staff to be vaccinated, the trust ran a campaign asking them to be ‘Flu Fighters’.

The campaign aimed to dispel the myths about the flu vaccine and promoted the reasons staff should be vaccinated.

This year the occupational health team set up ‘flu drop in sessions’ where staff could get the vaccine and a ‘Flu Line’ for staff to book a time and location convenient to them, giving all 8,000 plus staff, including night workers, the opportunity to receive their jab.