Influenza vaccination uptake among Victorian healthcare workers: evaluating the success of a statewide program

Objective: Annual influenza vaccination is recommended for all Australian healthcare workers (HCWs). In 2014, a target vaccination uptake of 75% was set for Victorian healthcare facilities. This study aimed to determine the 2014 uptake, describe trends over time and propose an enhanced reporting framework.

Methods: Annual data submitted to the Victorian Healthcare Associated Infection Surveillance System (VICNISS) regarding HCW influenza were evaluated for 2005-2014. Faculty uptake - the number of vaccinations administered divided by total number of staff employed - was reported as a statewide aggregate and stratified by facility size (number of staff employed).

Results: In 2014, 78,885 HCWs were vaccinated across 93 healthcare facilities, corresponding to an overall uptake of 72.2%. During 2005-2014, small facilities (<100 HCWs) generally reported highest uptake while larger facilities (≥800 HCWs) recorded lowest uptake. Larger facilities recorded the greatest increase (+13.9%) when 2013 and 2014 seasons were compared. For all healthcare facility size categories, the highest uptake was observed in 2014.

Conclusion: Influenza vaccination uptake in HCWs has successfully been introduced as a performance indicator in Victorian healthcare facilities and a peak uptake was reported in 2014. Varied trends are evident when uptake is stratified by number of employed HCWs, providing a feasible and meaningful method for benchmarking.