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Flu: Why our staff are getting vaccinated

05 October 2026

Flu will often get better on its own, but it can make some people seriously ill. It is very infectious and spreads easily to other people. The flu vaccine helps protect against flu and is offered every year to people who are at higher risk of becoming seriously unwell.

Flu will often get better on its own, but it can make some people seriously ill. It is very infectious and spreads easily to other people. The flu vaccine helps protect against flu and is offered every year to people who are at higher risk of becoming seriously unwell.

The vaccine aims to protect against the most common types of flu virus. If you do get flu after being vaccinated, it is likely to be milder and not last as long.

Why I Got Mine

There are lots of reasons to get vaccinated. For our staff at our Trust, it might be about protecting patients, looking after family and colleagues or helping keep our teams healthy through winter.

Here are some of the reasons our staff are getting their flu jab this year.

Dr Anya Bhatia, FY2 Doctor: ‘As an A&E doctor, it’s important to stay protected against flu. I also want to protect my more vulnerable family members.’

Dr Tom Bainton, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist: ‘This year, it’s especially personal with a pregnant wife and a baby on the way. I want to protect them, my patients and my colleagues.’

Lydia Kimani, Maternity Immunisation Lead: ‘I took the flu jab to protect myself, my unborn child, others and keep the flu at bay.’

Christine Adamson, Lead Research Nurse and Midwife: ‘I get the flu vaccine because I trust the science behind vaccine technology. Being vaccinated helps protect my loved ones, especially those who are vulnerable.’

Ravijyot Saggu, Lead Pharmacist, Respiratory and Medicine: ‘By getting the flu vaccine I’m protecting myself, those around me and the patients I care for from avoidable respiratory infections.’

Matthew Spurr, Senior Charge Nurse, A&E: ‘I’m immunocompromised, so I get my flu vaccination to help protect myself from becoming seriously unwell and reduce the risk of passing flu on to the patients I care for.’

Who is eligible?

You can get the free NHS flu vaccine if you:

  • are aged 65 or over (including those who will be 65 by 31 March 2027)
  • are aged 18 to 64 and have certain long-term health conditions
  • are pregnant – you can have a flu vaccine during any stage of pregnancy
  • live in a care home
  • are the main carer for an older or disabled person, or receive a carer's allowance
  • live with someone who has a weakened immune system
  • are aged 16 or over and sleeping rough or staying in a homeless hostel or night shelter
  • Frontline health and social care workers can also get a flu vaccine through their employer.

Public vaccination clinics

At our West Middlesex University Hospital site, we are hosting vaccination clinics open to patients and the public within eligible groups. Open to everyone over the age of 12.

The vaccination clinic will be open on Saturdays, in Outpatients Department 2 (OPD2), between 8am and 3.45pm. The last clinic will be 14 November 2026.

You can also:

Find out more about flu

For information about flu, who is eligible for the NHS flu vaccine and how to get vaccinated, visit the NHS website.