{
  "abstract": "Background Uptake of the annual influenza vaccine amongst NHS healthcare staff has declined over recent years, particularly in this ambulance Trust, with little research to explore the reasons why. Previous literature exploring this topic in healthcare workers is more than a decade old, warranting further investigation and an ambulance specific focus.The aim of this study was to understand the attitudes of staff from a regional NHS ambulance Trust in England towards the annual influenza vaccine.Methods This cross-sectional study was delivered via online questionnaire between July and September 2024. The bespoke questionnaire was designed to capture views and uptake of the vaccine and allowed respondents to provide free text answers. Participants’ views were assessed by Likert scale.Eligibility criteria were all frontline clinical and support services staff who qualified for a flu vaccine, irrespective if they had previously taken the vaccine or not. Demographics were collected and compared to respondents’ recent uptake and view of the vaccine.Results There were 600 responses analysed, with a median age of 39.5 years. 380 (63.3%) were female and 254 (42.3%) patient facing.Demographics including ethnicity were related to respondents’ view (p=0.01) and willingness to take the vaccine (p<0.01). Other factors including being patient facing or having a professional registration were not significantly related to view or uptake.Free text responses indicated various reasons for respondents’ views including altruistic behaviour and a distrust in vaccines and organisational and governmental messaging. Respondents’ responses fell into three broad groups of those positive, those indifferent and those negative about the vaccine.Conclusions This study provides an ambulance staff specific understanding of the views towards, and uptake of, the flu vaccine by staff of an NHS ambulance Trust. It highlights that some have strongly opposing views. This study provides areas to address, to increase future uptake.",
  "authors": [
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Laura Blair"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Hayley Stagg"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Karl Charlton"
    }
  ],
  "title": "PP23 A cross sectional exploration of ambulance trust staff’s attitudes towards the influenza vaccine",
  "uid": "b67980ce-b267-55e2-bff1-b2b144c9e07e"
}