National swine flu service to close

The National Pandemic Flu Service (NPFS), which was set up to deal with the outbreak of swine flu, will close next week, it has been confirmed.

Launched in July 2009, the service allowed patients to undergo telephone and online assessments to enable them to get antiviral drugs without seeing a doctor.

It was launched in response to a sharp rise in the number of infections across the country last year.

However, with the quantity of new cases of the H1N1 virus falling to their lowest level since the outbreak over Christmas, the service will now be closed down.

Health minister Andy Burnham confirmed the decision on Thursday, announcing that the service will officially close on February 11th.

The government has moved to reassure patients who believe they have the flu, by saying they can still obtain anti-viral drugs from their GPs and those at risk of infection can still receive vaccinations.

According to the government, the NPFS, which at the peak of the outbreak employed around 1,500 call centre staff, could be restored within a week if necessary.