Campaign for free flu vaccines for student nurses, get involved! +Petition

Hi everyone,

I've undertaken the task of trying to get health policy changed so that flu vaccinations are free on the NHS for student nurses. I know some are eligible for free vaccines for health reasons (or because you have a nice mentor when you're working in the community), but the vast majority of us have to pay while junior doctors, volunteers, pharmacists etc. get it for free. I know this isn't a huge change but as far as I'm aware it hasn't been campaigned about before, and it would be beneficial for us and our patients.

I've already spoken to a couple of MSPs and it's just been forwarded to the Cabinet Minister for Health for a response, and hopefully it will get discussed in parliament. If anyone would be interested in writing letters to MPs (you can do it free online), or would like to be involved in any way, please let me know!

I also have a Change.org petition which I'd really appreciate if you could take the time to sign (and share with other student nurses if possible). Thanks!

https://www.change.org/p/the-scottish-government-free-influenza-vaccines-for-student-nurses

If you're on placement over winter, have you tried ringing the OH department at the hospital you're at. If you're in a high risk area they should be willing to vaccinate you.

I've already contacted OH at the health board and university and neither are willing to provide flu vaccines. I've also contacted the RCN who have confirmed the same (for those studying in Scotland, unsure about the situation elsewhere).

Thats a shame. But I suppose its not cost effective for them (only looking at it from their point of view) as they won't lose money if you're off sick.

I would say I am not sure if this is true of every trust. Certainly in one trust I worked, the OH would grab any one with a hospital badge on and try and get them to have the flu jab.

I can only really speak for the situation in Scotland. Arguably is in their interest though, as there must be a significant cost associated with us sickly students spreading Norovirus round their hospitals.

That's very lucky, hopefully policy will change and every hospital will be like that, that's how it should be.

Not sure how the flu vaccine would stop norovirus?

If you want to be blunt, student nurses don't cost the trust anything if they're off sick. Paid staff do. And the sad fact is that money is the main reason to vaccinate front line staff.

I am sure that once this is tabled in parliament, expense will be discussed in depth, however the cost/benefit to the NHS of implementing this is well out of any of our hands.

You're fully entitled to your opinion and obviously there is no one forcing anyone to support this campaign, but this post was never intended to cause friction/arguments and I feel like that is where this is headed. Regardless of money, I feel like this is the right thing for me to be supporting and that if other students such as myself feel strongly that this could have a positive impact on patient safety then they should have the right to express that.

I am also in Scotland and recently just got my flu from occupational health, which is available to all student nurses at my university.


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I'm at rgu and it seems very weird why some offer and some don't.


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