The H&SCW flu vaccination programme will begin on Monday 14 September 2026.
The vaccination offer for Health & Social Care Workers remains unchanged, in line with the eligibility criteria introduced last year, all health and frontline social care workers are eligible to receive a seasonal flu vaccine.
It’s a simple and effective way to help protect yourself and those around you from the virus throughout winter. Last winter, nearly 5,000 citizens were admitted to hospital for flu among those aged 18 years and over in Scotland.
Eligibility
Advice for winter 2026 from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), in tandem with policy decision makers at the Scottish Government, is that all healthcare workers and frontline social care workers should be offered a seasonal flu vaccination. We would like to remind staff that the COVID-19 vaccination offer remains unchanged from last year. Frontline health and social care workers are not routinely eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine through the staff winter vaccination programme unless they meet other eligibility criteria.
Why is it important to have a seasonal flu vaccine this year?
The flu vaccine is the best way to help protect yourself against flu. It reduces the risk of spreading flu to your family, patients and colleagues who could be at risk of catching the virus.
It is recommended you get vaccinated every year because the flu virus changes constantly and your immunity will not protect you from new types of flu. The injectable flu vaccine, used for adults, is not a live vaccine, so it cannot give you flu.
Getting the seasonal flu vaccine will support your health, safety and wellbeing over the winter period. This, in turn, will support staff to maintain services for patients.
Why is flu vaccination so important?
The flu vaccine is the best way to help protect yourself against flu this year. It reduces the risk of spreading flu to your family, patients and colleagues who could be at risk of catching the virus.
Immunisation of health and social care staff aims to protect workers at high risk of exposure. If you don’t have face to face patient contact, and are not otherwise eligible.
Getting the vaccines you are eligible for will also support your health, safety and wellbeing over the winter period and help reduce the level of sickness absence. This, in turn, will support staff to maintain services for patients.
