Swine flu vaccines will arrive at Bristol's hospitals by the end of the week so that high-risk patients and frontline staff can be immunised against the virus.

Plans to vaccinate nurses and doctors will be put in place to ensure that they are protected from the H1N1 strain of flu.

GP surgeries across the city will be receiving their deliveries of the inoculations from Monday.

About two million health and social care workers will be offered the vaccine across the country to minimise the risk of transmitting the virus to susceptible patients.

Protecting staff will help the NHS workforce to remain resilient and able to treat sick patients.

At North Bristol NHS Trust, which runs Frenchay and Southmead Hospital, 6,000 members of staff have been identified for vaccination against swine flu.

NHS Bristol, which commissions health care in the city, said they are working with University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust as they start to receive stocks of the swine flu vaccine.

A spokesman said: "The vaccination programme will then be rolled out over the coming weeks and will initially concentrate on those within the NHS who are most at risk including frontline staff.

"Vaccination is an essential part of our strategy and is the surest way people can be protected from swine flu."

When vaccines arrive at GP practices they will invite patients in for their jabs by priority group. The first to be vaccinated will be those aged six months to 64 who are invited for seasonal flu jabs.

They will be followed by pregnant women, then those who live with people with compromised immune systems.

The final group is those who are 65 and over who are deemed to be at risk.