Poole Hospital is up for a prestigious national flu award after 90 per cent of its frontline clinical staff were vaccinated against flu over the winter months.

The hospital is one of four in the 2019 NHS Employers Flu Fighter awards ‘best team’ category.

It is one of the top 10 performing acute hospitals in the country for the 2018/19 national winter flu campaign and has exceeded the national target of 75 per cent uptake among healthcare workers.

A campaign to encourage staff to have the jab was led by staff from occupational health, human resources, communications and the executive team.

“It’s a fantastic achievement and I’m very proud that our hospital has been recognised nationally,” said Dr Angus Wood, medical director.

This is the second time the hospital has been nominated for a Flu Fighter award after winning the most improved flu campaign in 2017 after the staff vaccination rate climbed from 31.1 per cent to 80.7 per cent in a year.

The winner will be announced at an awards ceremony in Manchester this month by judges from the Nursing Times, the Royal College of Nursing, NHS Blood and Transplant and Skills for Care.