FLU vaccination rates in Gwent improved in several key categories last winter.

Uptake of the vaccination in people aged 65 and over reached 68.2 per cent, the third highest rate of Wales’ seven health board areas, and up slightly from 67.7 per cent the previous winter.

Among people under 65 years old but in ‘at risk’ groups - which include those with respiratory, heart and kidney complaints, diabetes, and who are classed as obese - the uptake rate was 49.7 per cent, a fraction up on last year, and the highest in Wales.

Both these rates were above the all-Wales average, though the figures reveal striking differences in uptake in among different parts of Gwent.

In Monmouthshire, 71.6 per cent of people aged 65 and over received a flu vaccination, seven percentage points higher than in neighbouring Blaenau Gwent.

A similar discrepancy was found in the areas’ respective uptake rates among those aged under 65 in ‘at risk’ groups.

The biggest difference however, was in uptake for children aged two-three years.

Sixty per cent of these youngsters in Monmouthshire were vaccinated, but the next highest rate in Gwent was 45.6 per cent in Torfaen. And just 40.3 per cent in this age group were vaccinated against flu in Newport.

In an attempt to address these gaps, flu vaccination has been made a priority in GP cluster areas.

Aneurin Bevan University Health Board had the lowest uptake of all health boards in Wales, in terms of the percentage of staff who took up the offer of a free flu jab.

The rate was 49.3 per cent, though this was up significantly, from 40.8 per cent the previous winter.

The improvement is a sign of the health board’s proactive approach to ensuring key staff are protected against flu having a positive effect.

It included increasing the numbers of flu ‘champions’, staff trained to encourage colleagues to get protected, and to administer the vaccine.