Less than half of frontline NHS staff in England have had their flu vaccination so far this season, with NHS figures showing 43.2% uptake, as warnings grow that time is running out for protection to build before Christmas.
In Ealing, London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust (LNWH) has raised similar concerns, issuing a statement in October 2025 as part of its winter preparations.
In the statement, the trust, which runs Ealing Hospital as well as Central Middlesex Hospital in Park Royal and Northwick Park Hospital in Harrow, said it had been urging both staff and patients since early autumn to take up the vaccine.
The trust said it was appealing to staff to take advantage of its free vaccination programme, after revealing that only 20% of resident doctors were vaccinated last year. It said this resulted in more than 80% going off sick during the flu season.
Pippa Nightingale, the trust’s chief executive, said: “Our staff are under a lot of pressure moving into winter, so it is important we do all we can to minimise sick leave, for both colleagues and patients’ sake.”
Dr Shriti Pattani, the trust’s flu lead, pointed to the southern hemisphere’s season as an early indication of what may follow in the UK.
Dr Pattani said: “Flu migrates from Australia across the globe every year, so it is a good indication of what we can expect by the time it reaches our shores this winter. The vaccination is quick, painless and contrary to some claims doesn’t give you a mild version of flu to build immunity.”
The local appeal comes amid a national drive to raise staff vaccination levels. NHS England first issued an urgent warning in September 2025, launching a campaign calling on NHS organisations to vaccinate all frontline healthcare staff. It said uptake has declined steadily year on year, falling from 74% in 2019-20 to 37.8% in 2024-25.
