Nurses have said they have felt under pressure to be immunised from swine flu, by their managers. According to the Nursing Times, a third of nurses say they have been under pressure to get the vaccine. One nurse said: "Management are emotionally blackmailing us by saying it's a duty of care. Managers are pressuring staff to be vaccinated, using forceful and emotive language in invitations for vaccine. But they are less keen to discuss concerns."

However half of all nurses have had the vaccine, but those who have not suffered the symptoms of swine flu don't feel the need to take it unecessarily. The use of the vaccine is higher than expected before the injection was available, with 52 per cent of the sector and community based nurses being immunised. Nurse manager jobs will not be affected if they decide not to take the vaccine, though managers are still urging all their staff to be immunised, just in case.

The most common reasons nurses did not want to take the vaccine, was mainly down to worries about the side effects. A minority also had not been available when the vaccine was being given out, or just simply did not believe it was necessary for them.

A Department of Health spokeswoman said the vaccine had been carefully assessed and licensed by European regulators and was optional. Emotive language used addressing safety concerns had been forced out to the NHS staff, she said: “We welcome findings that half of the nursing workforce have had the vaccine so far, this is the best way to protect themselves, their patients, and their families. Frontline nurses are essential in a pandemic, so we strongly encourage them to take up the vaccine when offered.”