Specialist Nurse Manager Liz Lipsham, along with the Occupational Health and Wellbeing team, have won the employee of the month award for leading the Trust’s flu campaign which resulted in 72% of frontline staff receiving a flu jab.
This was an increase of almost a third compared with the previous year’s uptake. The team was presented with their award by Trust Chairman, David Clayton-Smith.
Lorraine Mason, Organisational Development and Engagement Manager, who nominated Liz and the team said: “Liz has led the work of the flu team in improving the number of frontline staff who received a flu jab. In previous years the uptake has been very low. Liz identified that it was necessary to make a substantial improvement in the compliance rates of staff receiving the flu jab as this seriously impacts on our staff health and wellbeing and also of the people who use our services.
“She has worked together with many different teams within the trust to develop and implement a plan to ensure that the flu jab was available to as many staff as possible. She has responded quickly when asked to go to team events and departments at short notice, and listened to feedback on how we can run the flu campaign differently. Instead of running central clinics, she mobilised a range of people to go to wards and departments, and our services in the community.
“I don’t think it should be underestimated how much planning, communication and organisation went into this and Liz and the team should be commended for this great achievement. It has also meant that the Trust has achieved its CQUIN target. This work really demonstrates the Trust values of improvement and development, working together and engagement and involvement”.
Dr Adrian Bull, Chief Executive said: “We have significantly increased the number of employees getting vaccinated this past winter. This is thanks to a well organised campaign run by our occupational health and Wellbeing team, supported by peer vaccinators and a communications programme across the Trust. It is essential to achieve a high level of vaccinations, since this keeps our members of staff well and protects the people for whom we care. As a result it reduces the overall impact of flu on the communities we serve.”