MORE than half of all healthcare staff in Barnsley Hospital are not vaccinated against flu - despite NHS bosses urging the public to have their jabs amid warnings of a ‘tidal wave’ of winter-related conditions hitting the setting.

Figures from the UK Health Security Agency show just 40 per cent of frontline workers had been vaccinated against flu as of the end of November.

It comes as the national number of patients with flu in hospital beds jumped 41 per cent in a week and continues to be more than four times the number at this point last year, with an average of 2,629 flu patients in beds last week.

In Barnsley Hospital, there was an average of 17 patients with flu in the week to December 15, including one in critical care.

It was an increase on five patients the week prior.

Patricia Marquis, the Royal College of Nursing’s executive director for England, added: “Right across the NHS beds are full, A and E is facing increasing pressures, while the growing number of flu cases threatens to overwhelm an NHS and workforce already in crisis.

“Once again winter is exposing the true impact of failures to invest in our nursing workforce.

“The government must show it values the profession through action and not warm words.”