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NHS medical staff who are not vaccinated against influenza should wear a badge informing patients, said the medical officer of England.
Professor Dame Sally Davies stated that she was "very firmly" convinced that health and social service workers have a "duty of care" and must ensure that they receive the jab .
Testifying before the Science and Technology Committee, she also called on the health authorities to consider making the flu vaccine a "contractual obligation," since exceptions can only be made for medical reasons.
Figures released by Public Health England (PHE) indicate that 70.3% of health professionals were vaccinated against the flu last winter, a slight improvement from 68.7% the year before. former.
But rates are "very variable" between hospitals, said Dame Sally.
She told MPs that patients have the right to know if health care staff have not received the annual jab, which is free for front-line workers.
"I think you could have a label" I have not been vaccinated "and patients could ask," she said.
"I do not understand."
Dame Sally said that it would be "very difficult" to make the influenza vaccine mandatory for health professionals, but told MPs: "I think we should consider giving it to a contractual obligation Just like the vaccine against hepatitis B, are under contract to work, you accept that. "
She added, "I think it will not work if you say you need a flu shot, it must be a contractual obligation, when you join a hospital or something like that."
When asked if it was right to remove the "personal choice" of the staff, Dame Sally replied, "A choice? Patients have no choice.
"They are in the hospital, they are being treated. We owe it to them.
Lady Sally said that she did not believe that health workers were jumping the flu shot because of the anti-vaccination move, but because they preferred not to have it or to have it. it was not easy enough to get.
She added that it should be as simple as possible for staff to receive her free jab and help her fit between shifts and patient care.
"I also think that if our own staff do not understand why they need it to protect themselves and their families, then we fail in our education," she told the committee.
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