Hundreds of staff get their flu jabs during Jabathon at Shropshire’s acute hospitals
Hundreds of staff have been given their flu jabs during a 24-hour Jabathon at Shropshire’s two acute hospitals.
Nearly 800 members of staff from across The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH) were vaccinated during the Jabathon which started at 9.30am on Wednesday 13 November and finished at 9.30am on Thursday 14 November.
Jabathon clinics were held at the Princess Royal Hospital (PRH) in Telford and the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital (RSH).
The Jabathon was part of the Trust’s flu campaign which runs until March – and which has a music theme Don’t Let Flu Become The No.1 Hit This Winter, and the hashtag #WeWillRockFlu.
Teams of peer vaccinators – nicknamed Flu DJs (Designated Jabbers) – have been immunising their colleagues at static flu clinics and during walkabouts for those staff who are unable to leave their work areas.
So far more than half of all frontline staff have been vaccinated – with all staff receiving a £3 coffee shop voucher to spend in the Trust’s Caffé Bistros as a thank you.
Karla Jennings-Preece, Infection Prevention & Control (IPC) Specialist Nurse at SaTH, organised the Jabathon.
She said: “It was a mad idea that I came up with one night, so I am really pleased with the response to the Jabathon from our staff. We have made the campaign really fun so we can spread the message and encourage our teams to get their jabs. During the Jabathon we even had glitter balls, blow up guitars and saxophones to keep in with our music theme.
“Staff came along in their hundreds to have their jabs and we would like to thank them all for their support in making it a success.”
Dr Arne Rose, Medical Director at SaTH, said: “I would like to thank all of our staff for having their jabs and helping us to protect our patients this winter – and also our vaccinators who have done a fantastic job so far.”
