DOCTORS and nurses are better prepared for winter thanks to a flu jab bid, Great Western Hospital have said.

The hospital have smashed their target to vaccinate 70 per cent of their frontline staff against flu – just weeks after launching their jab campaign.

Since its October launch, 3,680 Swindon-based health workers have received the vaccination, which is the equivalent of 72 per cent of the trust’s frontline workers.

It makes this year’s GWH flu jab campaign the most successful on record.

Hospital bosses hope that it will help protect GWH against what the NHS chief Simon Stevens has warned could be the worst winter on record – after a bad flu season left thousands hospitalised in Australia.

Dr Guy Rooney, medical director at the Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: "Free flu jabs have been offered to all our teams for several years now, but this year looks like it'll be more important than ever to get vaccinated as early as possible.

"What's happening Down Under is a strong indication of what's likely to happen here in the coming months. But the great thing is that avoiding such an outbreak is within our control - simply by having the flu jab.

"This one quick thing will help us to stay fighting fit for our patients during the busy winter we're all expecting."

Staff at GWH have been given the vaccination by their colleagues, trained as “peer vaccinators”.

The jab has also been administered at drop-in flu clinics, held at the Swindon hospital.

Great Western’s top team have accepted the jab – including Dr Rooney, who was one of the first to roll up his sleeve.

An airborne virus, flu can keep even the fittest adult bed bound. Symptoms range from coughs and fever to extreme tiredness.

Flu can lead to serious complications for those with long-term health conditions like bronchitis or liver disease.

Dr Peter Mack, clinical chair at Swindon Clinical Commissioning Group, said: “Whilst flu is usually a self-limiting illness, it can be very dangerous and cause serious complications for vulnerable people.”

Adults over 65, children over two, carers, pregnant women and those with certain health conditions like asthma are eligible for a free flu vaccination on the NHS.

The free flu jab will also be available to all GWH staff until the hospital’s current winter campaign ends next March.

For more, visit: www.nhs.uk/staywell.