Immunisation Uptake Statistics  among health care workers

Data Collection Type
National data collections of health and social care in Ireland
Organisation

Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC).

Year established

2011 (for the 2011-2012 influenza season).

Statement of purpose

In scope: To provide data on influenza vaccine uptake among health care workers (HCWs) working in Irish hospitals and long-term care facilities (LTCFs).

Coverage (geographical and temporal)

National.

Annual surveys to date have been conducted during the official flu season with a request issued for provisional data in early November for mid-December and again in late February for mid-March.

Description/Summary

Each hospital or long term care facility reports on number of staff vaccinated with influenza vaccine for the current influenza season, the total number of staff employed during the period under review (influenza season) by staff category. Additional information is collected on the uptake of the vaccine among long term and respite residents of LTCFs. The data is currently provided twice during the influenza season (mid-season and end of season).
HPSC collates the data and produces a mid-season/provisional and end of season reports which are available on the HPSC website.

Data users

Key Users: National Immunisation Office, World Health Organisation, Department of Health, Senior HSE Management and other stakeholders such as flu leads based in Hospital Groups and in Community Health Organisations.

Data content

Number of HCW staff, by professional category; number vaccinated with influenza vaccine; percentage uptake.

Data dictionary

Not available.

National-level identifier variables

No, the data collected is aggregate-based with only the reporting healthcare facility and the hospital group/CHO area to which it belongs/is located.

Equity stratifiers

No.

Data collection methodology

Each hospital or long term care facility has a contact point. This contact point is sent an email at midseason and end of season with a link to a web-based survey is circulated via email. Healthcare facility managers or designated flu leads input data relating to the number of staff employed and number vaccinated with influenza vaccine by staff professional category, (of which there are six official HSE categories). Data are downloaded in HPSC via the Qualtrics platform, held on an excel database and analysed. Analyses are later published on the HPSC website.

Clinical coding scheme

Not in use.

Size of national collection

For each facility a record is created- approximately 50 to 65 hospitals, (including privates ones), and 292 more residential care facilities. Based on 2021-2022 season data returns, the number of eligible staff from reporting hospitals and LTCFs was 70,857 (hospital HCWs) and 21,648 (LTCF HCWs), respectively.

Publication frequency

Provisional figures are reported during mid-season with a complete annual report published on HPSC website (www.hpsc.ie).

Accessing data

Data requests can be submitted via hpsc@hse.ie and will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Open data portal access

No.

Email contact
Telephone contact
Other comments

A current protocol document and reports from the 2012-2013 season onwards are available on the HPSC website:
https://www.hpsc.ie/a-z/respiratory/influenza/seasonalinfluenza/surveillance/influenzaandhealthcareworkers/