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THE HSE HAS said that “significant efforts” have seen the number of staff receiving the flu vaccine rise 50% this season.
A HSE spokesperson told TheJournal.ie that a combination of “individual incentives” and “unit incentives” has helped to contribute to this increased uptake, and that this success would be reviewed when preparing future initiatives.
Yesterday, the Irish Nurses and Midwives Association reacted angrily to the assertion made by Dr Kevin Kelleher, assistant director for public and child health at the HSE, during a Dáil committee hearing that giving nurses chocolates and iPads helped to increase the uptake of the vaccine.
That opinion was further defended by HSE director general Tony O’Brien in subsequent tweets where he said that Dr Kelleher was “relating examples of initiatives that have worked in reality”.
Tony O'Brien / TwitterYou may not like the truth - but he was relating examples of initiatives that have worked in reality. Is it now a 'crime to cite evidence?
— Tony O’Brien (@tweetstob) May 11, 2017
O’Brien also tweeted that it was nurses themselves who often come up with such ideas.
Tony O'Brien / TwitterMuch ado about nothing. Such ideas generated by staff themselves, including nurses, and have been shown to work. Vaccine rates r real issue.
— Tony O’Brien (@tweetstob) May 11, 2017
Responding to a query from TheJournal.ie, the HSE spokesperson said that “vaccine hesitancy is increasingly becoming a major issue”.
They said that a number of countries had helped to increase vaccine uptake amongst healthcare workers by implementing “localised initiatives”.
“The HSE has been actively working to increase flu vaccine uptake amongst its staff,” the spokesperson said. “We are supporting staff to input into how this can be achieved.”
They said that senior nursing representatives had been involved in offering incentives to workers to get their flu jab, and this had led to an increase of 50% in those getting the vaccination this flu season.
The HSE is now reviewing the success of these initiatives – including individual incentives and unit incentives, to build on the improved uptake in the coming flu seasons.
Reacting to the comments made at the Dáil committee yesterday, the general secretary of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation said they were ”a perfect example of why Irish nurses and midwives walked away from the Irish health sector”.
Liam Doran told Today with Sean O’Rourke that such a comment was “absolutely objectionable” and Kelleher should respect nurses’ opinions and not treat them like children.
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I work for the HSE. Got the flu vaccine around 2004. Got very sick after it. The worst case of flu. Thought it was a coincidence so got it again the following year. Same thing happened. All the chocolate in the country wouldn’t entice me.
It makes me extremely worried that nurses are hesitant about taking vaccines.
If these nurses are taking seriously the piffle and lies on the web about vaccines being dangerous, a cause of autism, etc etc, then there are an awful lot of incompetent nurses out there.
@Alan Lawlor: I think nurses are educated enough on vaccinations without reading tripe on the internet. It’s the persons choice.
@Alan Lawlor: and a lot of very strange pts who don’t take advice to save their lives as regards smoking and drinking and dug use ! True! Absolutely
Jesus, another article about vaccines. How many is that this week? Really flogging this to death now…
@Daffy the Bear: it’s the second Daffy. So that’s 2.
@Daniel Wilson: wrong.
@Daffy the Bear: I’d rather have endless stories about vaccines than more shite about how to put down the mobile phone you’re reading the story on.
I wish to congratulate Dr. Kevin and Tony for their visionary insight into the implementation of Health and Safety in our Hospitals.I presume however that an error occurred in reporting Dr.Kevin’s observation,namely the singling out of Nurses reluctance to avail of the flu vaccine.As leading members of the H.S.E. ,They must be aware that direct contact with patients is not confined to Nurses alone.Surely Doctors,Physiotherapists,Radiographers,Care Assistants,Porters,Catering and Cleaners staff are all deserving of this treatment.May I suggest they buy Irish chocolate for this suppose ,and support Irish industry.
I’m all for incentives to increase vaccination uptake, however, the comments made by Dr. Kelleher were condescending and rather bizarre. Totally insulting to nurses, myself included.
@Mairéad Ní Shúilleabháin: It is called bullying nurses into submission.
marymcnally69 (great name) … ya daft mare.
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