Last year, a spike in the number of deaths in England and Wales was due to an increase in dementia and respiratory diseases, such as flu, in older people according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Last year there were 529,613 deaths registered with officials in England and Wales, which is an increase of 5.6% compared to 2014 figures, with over 85% of the additional deaths seen in the over 75 population and in the over 90s.

The peak of deaths happened in the early months of 2015 when flu was common, according to the ONS.

Older people with conditions such as dementia and Alzheimer’s were more vulnerable to flu, the figures also show.

Claudia Wells from the ONS, said: "The majority of the increase in deaths in 2015 happened during the first few months of the year, coinciding with an increase in hospital admissions for flu and reports of numerous outbreaks of the virus in care homes.

"Respiratory diseases, such as flu, were also mentioned in a third of deaths from dementia and Alzheimer's last year."

Professor John Newton of Public Health England added: "A range of factors can push up the number of deaths in older people in a particular year.

"An outbreak of flu can have a big impact, especially on those who are most vulnerable or experiencing other illnesses, such as dementia.

"An increase in deaths will generally lead to a decrease in life expectancy that year, but we have seen these annual fluctuations before and the overall trend has remained positive."

UHB’s Chief Nurse, Philip Norman, commenting on the statistics, said: “These figures reveal in vivid detail the importance of making sure we all take personal responsibility to have the flu vaccination.

“Older people with dementia often have a lowered immune system and so are at a much greater risk. Dementia can also make it harder for older people to look after themselves throughout the winter months, so it can be a real risk to patients if we are working on the front line and around patients vulnerable to infection - while potentially passing on the flu virus.

“This year there will be even greater access to the flu vaccine with matrons, clinical nurse specialists and band 6 and 7 nurses and other clinical staff, led by the occupational health and infection prevention & control teams, delivering the vaccine in your wards and departments.

“We ask that all staff really pull together to make every effort to ensure they receive the vaccine to protect our patients as well as themselves and their family.”

Tracy Nightingale, Lead Nurse for Bereavement and End of Life Care, said: “In many Trusts, nursing and front line staff feel very proud when they go that little bit further to protect their patients by getting the flu jab, some Trusts even vaccinate over 90 per cent of their staff. All staff at QEHB care deeply about their patients, and I know we can do much better this year with more of us doing the right thing and getting the flu jab.”

Thus year for the first time sisters and charge nurses will become responsible for vaccinating their own teams and will have vaccines readily available on their wards - which is part of a strategy that hopes to remove all barriers to accessing the vaccine. With additional pop-up clinics across the hospital site led by Occupational Health, it will be much easier and convenient for all staff to access the vaccine.

Staff not wanting to receive the vaccine will be asked to complete a form explaining their reason as to why they do not want it to ensure that any myths are challenged, and that any issues or barriers that some may have are removed in future years. The Trust will also be awarded a £160,000 Commissioning for Quality and Innovation (CQUIN) payment if 75% of front line staff receive the vaccine. The payment will be used to boost care on the front line for patients during the busy winter months.