FLU JAB SHORTAGE
Anger as GPS run out of vaccine
Pregnant women and elderly people in Wishaw are at risk of becoming seriously unwell after NHS Lanarkshire admitted a shortage of flu vaccines.
With the number of reported cases of the flu more than doubling last winter, the NHS recently advised patients to make vaccination a priority.
However, many people have been left desperately waiting to be vaccinated after their GP surgeries ran out of supply of the adjuvanted trivalent influenza vaccine (ATIV) for over 75s and the quadrivalent influenza vaccine (QIV) for the atrisk under 65s.
The alarm was raised by one elderly Wishaw woman who called this newspaper with her concerns after having been waiting almost a month for her ATIV.
The 84- year- old said: “I’m absolutely raging.
“I’ve been waiting weeks and they just keep telling me to phone back.
“They have no idea when it’s going to be available again. I’m 84, so I’ve been getting the flu jag
for years. I always make sure I get it because I know the risks of what can happen if someone at my age develops the flu. It can be very serious. The NHS are putting out adverts encouraging people of the dangers of not having the flu jag if you are at risk, yet when we’re trying to book an appointment for it, we’re being told it’s not available. It’s ridiculous.”
The woman, who did not wish to be named, said she was willing to pay for the vaccination from her local pharmacy, however was unable to do so because she was over 65.
She added: “So basically if you’re over 65 and your GP doesn’t have it, then you have no other options.”
Wishaw woman Kirsty Fallan said she has been calling her GPS, Dr Clark and Partners within the Houldsworth Centre, for a month and has been told there is currently none of the kids’ nasal spray flu vaccine available.
She added: “They just keep saying call next week when I try to book it. They were the ones who sent out the letter weeks ago to tell us mums with young children to get our kids vaccinated.”
Laura Mcconnachie has also had problems booking the vaccination for her child. She said: “We got a letter in weeks ago for toddler flu vaccinations but our surgery has yet to receive them.”
An NHS spokesman said he was unaware of any issues in the supply of vaccines for children but that some practices were suffering “supply pressures” for the at-risk under 65 group of patients.
Dr David Cromie, NHS Lanarkshire immunisation co-ordinator, said: “This year’s flu vaccine for over 75s has been improved to make it work better. As of the third week of October, around 60 per cent of the vaccine needed has been supplied and will have been administered to patients across Scotland. However, we appreciate that some patients have not yet been vaccinated.
“As the number of influenza illness cases is very low just now, we are advising unvaccinated patients to wait for the correct vaccine to become available. The remainder of this vaccine, specifically for people over 75 years of age, is due to be delivered to GP practices from mid-november. General practices are aware of the delivery dates and will be making every effort to provide vaccination appointments, as soon as possible, thereafter.”