Delay of ‘life-saving’ flu jabs condemned by Age Scotland

A charity which supports elderly people across the country has labelled the delaying of flu jabs by district nurses in Dundee as “wholly unacceptable”.

Age Scotland has stressed the importance of “life-saving” flu vaccines after it emerged the jabs will be called off for the first two weeks of this month, as Dundee Health and Social Care Partnership (DHSCP) deals with what one district nurse branded “a staffing crisis”.

The nurse said hundreds of house-bound patients could be affected.

Adam Stachura, head of policy and communications with Age Scotland, said: “It’s really important that older people get the life-saving flu vaccine as we head into winter, particularly if they have underlying health conditions which could be exacerbated if they were to contract the flu.

“The district nursing staffing crisis is having a significant impact on services and the quality of patient care.

“District nurses are a lifeline for older people in Tayside, providing vital care for patients in their homes and any delay in giving house-bound, vulnerable patients this vaccinations at the start of flu season is wholly unacceptable. Ultimately this could lead to hospitals being overwhelmed and an increased risk of avoidable excess deaths if there were to be a heavy flu this winter.”

A DHSCP spokeswoman said the escalation will not have a “major impact” on the longerterm care.

“The flu vaccine programme will continue across Tayside and those who receive their flu vaccination from the Dundee district nursing teams will receive it within the same time frame as previous years,” she added.