Royal Mail Group – 2021 Free Flu Voucher Scheme Offer – Update & Reminder

Royal Mail Group – 2021 Free Flu Voucher Scheme Offer – Update & Reminder:

Further to LTBs 341/21 and 346/21, as previously reported, discussions have taken place on the above and Royal Mail Group has agreed there will be a 2021 ‘Free Flu Voucher Offer’ this year to all employees.

The Royal Mail Group Flu Voucher Scheme has now been formally launched. Letters were dispatched and delivered to all employees’ home addresses with all deliveries due to have been completed by Friday 1^st October.

The letter to homes provides full details of the scheme plus a ‘link’ and code number in order to access an online ‘digital Flu jab voucher.’

Members will be able to redeem their ‘free Flu Jab voucher’ at 4,000 locations, including pharmacies and supermarkets, which is over 2,200 more flu jab providers than last year.

Where the distance between a member’s home and the nearest pharmacy exceeds 15 miles, the Unit Manager will be able to authorise use of another, alternative flu jab provider up to the maximum cost of £15. This is claimed through the travel and expenses process.

New recruits and agency staff will again be included in the ‘Free Flu Jab’ scheme this year.

For the first time this year it has been agreed that ‘on-site flu jab clinics’ will be available at 110 of Royal Mail Group’s (Royal Mail and Parcelforce) largest sites.

The Vouchers may be redeemed up until 31 December 2021.

The flu jab will also be available free of charge from the NHS for people where there is a risk of severe illness from catching flu, for those with certain defined conditions and expanded age groups, e.g. over 50 year olds.

In summary:

All of the Royal Mail Group workforce will have received a letter delivered to their home before 1 October 2021.

To obtain a free flu jab voucher and arrange a flu vaccination, members need to follow the steps below:

Visit www.digitalflu.co.uk(Google Chrome browser preferred) and enter the code RMG83672
Complete the pre vaccination consent form. Over 50 year olds will be advised to continue and book a free NHS flu vaccination without downloading a voucher.
Enter their post code to search for participating outlets.
Enter their email address (either work or personal email) to request a voucher, which will be emailed to them.
Book an appointment with a participating outlet (direct through the website in most cases, for some), they may need to telephone the outlet direct (contact details will be provided).
To receive a free flu vaccination, members will show their voucher, either printed or on their phone plus their Royal Mail Group ID to the provider.

(Any individual needing any assistance in obtaining a voucher should ask their line manager for support and assistance).

Influenza (flu) is one of the most significant causes of illness during the winter months. Flu is a respiratory illness caused by a virus, which is highly contagious and can lead to severe ill-health. In 2017 a large number of the Royal Mail Group workforce, over 31,000 employees were affected by flu which was a 31% increase on the previous year with over 127,000 days lost to the flu. Those unfortunate enough to catch flu suffered debilitating pain, nausea, high fever, headache and muscle aches, cough, sore throat, tiredness and discomfort plus time away from work. This meant that in addition to members being unwell, the service to customers was badly affected.

Considering the risk of flu and Covid-19 co-circulating again this winter, Royal Mail Group and the CWU are jointly encouraging all members to take up the opportunity to have the flu jab and in doing so reduce their risk of getting flu, becoming unwell and passing it onto family, friends and work colleagues.

Would all Area and Unit Reps please remind all members to seriously consider taking up the ‘Free Flu Jab’ offer before the closing date of 31 December 2021. Thank you.

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