Hospital issues flu jab plea as cases rise
BBCAn NHS trust has urged people to get a flu vaccination after recording a rise in cases.
Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust recorded 35 flu cases among inpatients in October, compared with 11 recorded for the same month in 2025.
The trust asked eligible patients to book their free NHS jab and warned of pressure on health services.
Its chief nurse, Tracy Luckett, said: "I strongly urge anyone who's eligible to get vaccinated before flu starts spreading more widely."
The previous winter saw cases among patients at the trust's hospitals in Surrey and south London peak at 166 in December.
Luckett said: "As a nurse, I've seen first-hand that flu can be very serious and even deadly, and we're already seeing more patients needing hospital treatment this winter.
"The vaccine is about protection - protecting ourselves but also protecting our loved ones, including those who are most vulnerable."
Appointments can be booked online, on the NHS app or by calling 119.
Who is eligible for the free flu jab?
- People who will be aged 65 or over by 31 March
- People aged 18 to 64 with certain long-term health conditions
- Pregnant women
- Care home residents
- Main carers for an older or disabled person, or who receive a carer's allowance
- People living with someone who has a weakened immune system
- People experiencing homelessness or staying in a homeless hostel or night shelter
- Front-line health and social care workers
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