NHS reveals flu jab shortage

The government has admitted that there is a shortage of flu vaccines, and that GPs will be prioritizing those at high risk.

The Department of Health said that GPs should use their remaining shots on those at high risk, such as the elderly or those with respiratory diseases.

The news is an embarrassment to the government as earlier in the year they promised that precisely this situation would not occur.

Head of immunisation at the Department of Health, Dr David Salisbury, has written to doctors telling them that they should no longer order flue vaccine stocks direct from suppliers and that the remaining stocks should be used wisely.

The Department of Health said that all 14.5 million vaccine doses that had been ordered from manufacturers have been delivered. With an estimated 11 million people at risk that should be enough, but it is not known whether all high risk patients have already received the jab.

It is also unclear exactly where the vaccine has gone, whether it has been administered to the ‘worried well’, whether some practices have good stocks, or whether there was a miscalculation in the number of doses needed.

Another 200,000 doses have been ordered but these are not expected to arrive until January.

“We will have no contingency stocks left in the next few days,” said Dr Salisbury.

“We are writing today to all GPs in England informing them of the situation and asking them to make sure that only those people who are entitled are given the vaccine.

“Undoubtedly many more people than usual have come forward for vaccination because the profile of flu has been raised over the risk of pandemic flu and over avian flu.”

Dr Laurence Buckman, the deputy chairman of the British Medical Association GPs committee, said that the situation was unacceptable.

“Patients will feel they have been let down.” Dr Buckman said. “The Government’s flu campaign is designed to protect the old and the sick in advance of the flu season.

“GPs were told that there would be enough vaccine and now it seems this is not the case. There is no evidence that family doctors have been using the flu vaccine inappropriately. While some practices have had sufficient vaccine, others will currently have to turn eligible patients away. This is unacceptable.”

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