AN ANNUAL campaign has been launched at Airedale Hospital to ensure staff have flu jabs.

Employee health and wellbeing workers at the Steeton site have been staging drop-in clinics and visiting wards and departments to offer the vaccination.

"We had a great response last year and vaccinated 75 per cent of our frontline staff but want to do even better this year," said Karl Mainprize, medical director at Airedale NHS Foundation Trust.

Rob Dearden, the trust's director of nursing, added: "We'd like to thank all staff who had their vaccination last year but also remind them that they need to have it again to protect themselves and their patients, as there will be new strains of flu in circulation."

Members of the public in 'at risk' groups are also being encouraged, by Bradford Council public health officials, to have the jab.

Ralph Saunders, the council's head of public health, said that last year less than half of those in 'at risk' categories were vaccinated.

"If you've received a letter telling you that you're entitled to the vaccination it is because you need it to stay healthy over the winter," he said.

"You wouldn't fail to pick up a prescription from your doctor and this should be no different."

'At risk' groups include over-65s, pregnant women, people with certain medical conditions and young children.