Some of the links included in this information lead to content created by other organisations and may not be available in Welsh.
The following information relates to the 2025-26 flu season.
On this page
Flu can be serious, especially for:
When you work in health or social care, you have a duty to help stop the spread of infections – and that includes flu.
If you’re an NHS health and social care worker and work directly with patients or clients, it is important to get a flu vaccine every year. The flu vaccine helps to protect:
Getting vaccinated also helps reduce staff sickness and keeps NHS and social care services running smoothly. This is very important during busy winter months.
The table below shows which health and social care workers are eligible for a free NHS flu vaccine.
| Who can have a free NHS vaccine? | Where to get it |
| Care home staff who regularly work with residents (for example, in adults’ residential care homes, nursing homes and children’s hospices) | Usually given at a community pharmacy |
| Domiciliary care workers (those who provide care in people’s homes) | Usually given at a community pharmacy |
| Healthcare workers (Health Board and Trust staff) | Through your occupational health department or from your GP surgery |
All NHS Wales Health Boards and Trusts encourage their staff to get the flu vaccine every year.
Healthcare employers, including GP surgeries and other providers, have a responsibility to:
By getting vaccinated, you're helping to protect the people who need it most, and supporting the health and care system we all rely on.
Further information for healthcare colleagues in Wales is available on the Public Health Wales Immunisation and Vaccination Intranet site (NHS Wales network connection required).
Vaccination programme recommendations from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) and Welsh Government policy can be found at the links below.
Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation - GOV.UK (external site) (read JCVI publications and statements; search e.g. influenza)
Watch: A conversation about the importance of the flu vaccine for healthcare workers.