ALMOST 600 hospital workers have so far been vaccinated against swine flu.

Frontline staff have been targeted at the University Hospital of North Staffordshire (UHNS) to keep infection rates down throughout the facility and to ensure health services are maintained.

Another 2,000 vaccinations are due to be delivered to the hospital when more staff will be offered the jab.

Liz Rix, chief nurse, pictured below, told yesterday's hospital trust board meeting: "We are well on the way to 600 staff being vaccinated and we have another 2,000 vaccinations expected.

"For the first 600 vaccinations, we only went to priority areas. We are going to have a much wider campaign of vaccination."

Nationally, fears have been raised that only small numbers of personnel are being immunised.

The Department of Health is concerned large numbers of workers will shun the jabs, because they see them as unnecessary and potentially unsafe.

But Robert Courteney-Harris, UHNS medical director, said: "Our staff have been very responsible and have co-operated.

"It is important the service doesn't fall down because people are off with swine flu when there is a vaccination available."

Frontline staff, such as doctors and nurses, particularly those working on high-risk wards, have been targeted for the first wave of vaccinations.

Other staff and even some medical students will be offered the jab as the UHNS prepares for a major influx of sick patients caused by the latest wave of the virus.

This week, North Staffordshire GPs are starting to send letters inviting "at risk" people, such as pregnant women, the elderly and long-term sick, for vaccinations.

It is part of the UK-wide immunisation programme, which will see about 14 million people vaccinated.

Nigel Lucas, who is co-ordinating swine flu communication for North Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent primary care trusts, said: "The expected second wave of swine flu has not spiked like we expected. Infections have increased, but only gradually.

"We encourage our staff to be vaccinated, to protect themselves, their colleagues, patients and their own family members.

"On the whole, swine flu is quite mild, but it can affect people in different ways and be very serious in some people."

There were an estimated 78,000 new cases of swine flu in the UK last week, up from 53,000. The death toll stood at 137.

Figures released last month showed about 100 people have been treated at the UHNS for swine flu since the pandemic first hit in the spring.

The National Pandemic Flu Service hotline is 0800 1513100.