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Flu: Influenza vaccine supply

Last modified date:

9 February 2007

Flu: Influenza vaccine supply, circular letter 21 November 2005

Question

Re: Circular letter 21 November, Dr David Salisbury, ref: influenza.
This letter contained a reference to an audit in paragraph 2. The audit was widely reported in the media and was also reported to the House of Commons as having a single finding explaining the shortage of influenza immunisation:

From the audit that we have undertaken, there is some concern that the vaccine may have been used on the 'worried well' rather than the pre-agreed risk groups and that this has contributed to the shortfall.

I have no doubt that statements which criticise an entire class of public employee are scientifically robust, and therefore I would request that the audit, including the identities and contact details of the authors, are supplied to at the address below.

Reply

Thank you for you request of 11 April 2006 concerning the audit carried out on influenza vaccine supply in November 2005. I need to make clear that the comment was not a single finding but appeared in several of the responses to the audit.

I attach below the information that you have requested.

Written Responses to letter of 3 November from Dr David Salisbury

Number	PCT/Area	Response
1	East Lincolnshire	Increase in at risk groups
2	Kingston	Suppliers say they have no further stocks; Worried well refereed to private GP clinics or medicentre
3	Western Somerset	Increase due to media around AI
4	Broadland	1250 doses required; panic from last years shortage
5	Gedling	Only 1 practice requires vaccine
6	Derwentside	No extra vaccine required; demand not higher from last year
7	Bolton	Some resistance over sticking to risk groups
8	East Surrey	Increase due to media on AI
9	Greater Peterborough	People think it will protect them against AI
10	Berkshire	2 practices require extra vaccine
11	Leeds North east	2 out of 3 require extra vaccine
12	Gravesend	2000 extra doses needed; some GPs giving vaccine to anyone that wants it
13	Cheshire West	More demand from worried well
14	City & Hackney	Extra demand re AI threat
15	Barnet	5000 doses required
16	Central Cheshire	15% higher demand
17	Somerset Coast	Some vaccine still to be delivered w/c 21 Nov
18	South Tyneside	Demand has been extreme; 6 practices no vaccine left
19	Newcastle	Demand greater in affluent areas less so in deprived area; waiting list being kept for worried well
20	East Elmbridge & mid Surrey	Information given to practices about contingency on 31/10!
21	North Herts & Stevenage	1100 extra doses required
22	Hertsmere	Mixed response. Some GPs ok & require no doses others require extra to finish at risk groups. Many worried well desperate to get vaccinated and willing to pay
23	Bpr?	No problems with supply; demand similar to last year
24	North Kirklees	80-100 doses were req for two practices but managed locally by distribution
25	Wandsworth	1500 doses required
26	West Cornwall	Everything ok
27	North Dorset	1150 doses required
28	Blackburn & Darwen	200 doses required
29	South west Kent	Demand exceeded previous years; media on AI
30	Ashford	25% practices require more vaccine; where necessary groups have been prioritised
31	Lambeth	2500 doses required; worried about hitting target
32	Kennet & N Wilts	Practices will be contacted w/c 14/11 to identify any surplus stock
33	South Bucks (surgery)	100 doses ordered to finish clinics
34	Hillingdon	At least 3 surgeries require extra
35	Welwyn & Hatfield	Demand higher from <65 risk groups
36	Plymouth	Stronger local media campaign this year; increase in number of risk groups
37	Surgery	30 doses required
38	Hartlepool	1900 given 500 doses required
39	Canterbury & coastal	Wyeth said more vaccine could be ordered then said no; priority given to residential care homes, housebound, 65+ and at risk groups
40	Surgery	200 doses required
41	Humber	4 out of 9 practices prioritised groups; 650 doses required
42	Eastern cheshire	20 out of 23 practices want extra doses
43	Leeds west	1 practice requires 50 doses
44	Leeds east	5 practices require extra; increase demand re media on AI
45	Barnsley	Some practices did not prioritise patients
46	Redbridge	Re-distribution occurring; more stock due to arrive in December
47	Greenwich	Some practices still waiting to receive their first delivery from suppliers; 23 out of 47 require extra
48	Kensington & Chelsea	Not sure yet if demand is higher
49	Surgery in Wales	Trying to order from english stock!
50	Banes?
51	Salford	Trying to re-educate patients it will not protect against AI
52	Harrow	Worried well given prescriptions to go to the chemist
53	Central Cornwall	3000 doses short; large number of 'carers' coming forward
54	Shepway	800 doses required
55	Morecambe Bay	50% of surgeries want extra
56	Swindon	Think vaccine will protect against AI
57	Craven & Harrogate	1450 doses required; 16000 carers in area
58	NE Lincolnshire	Delay to original supply;
59	Basildon	500 doses required; previous refusers coming forward
60	Bd?	Previous refusers coming forward
61	Surgery	New patients added to list after original flu letters sent
62	Bassetlaw	4 out of 12 want extra vaccine
63	Durham Dales	Trying hard to reach QoF; worried well asked to come back late Nov.
64	Preston	Demand higher from patients and staff
65	Hrv?	A number of practices have vaccine on order
66	S Worcester	2150 doses required; HCWs demand via OHS higher
67	Eastern Birmingham	Increased demand re media on AI
68	Hambleton & Richmond	Some but not all gps prioritising
69	Wakefiels West	450 doses required
70	Surgery	Extra demand re AI threat
71	Gateshead
72	SHAW	Increase demand from worried well
73	Dudley Beacon	3800 doses required; 1 practice giving to non risk patients
74	Thurrock	Some vaccine on order and due in December
75	Scarborough & Whitby	Demand for vaccine on private basis to those not at risk;
76	Darlington	Demand higher due to AI
77	Cotswold & Vale	Looking to achieve uptake of @ 90%
78	Wigan	2100 doses req; AI media coverage
79	Surgery -
80	North & East Cornwall	Demand increase due to AI
81	Waveney	Some practices require extra
82	Burntwood Lichfield & Tamworth	1470 doses req from 10 out of 25 practices
83	Islington	Delay in supplies arriving; some need extra doses
84	Bradford	Extra doses required
85	Suffolk East	Extra doses required
86	Rotherham	5 practices req extra; more at risk coming forward
87	North Staffs	600 doses required
88	Rothery	2500 doses required; previous refuser coming forward
89	Surgery - Horsham	500 doses needed
90	South Wilts	Planned for 65% uptake but demand is higher
91	Blackpool	150 doses needed
92	Wolverhampton	4-6 week delay receiving original order + demand due to AI reports
93	South Warks	5 practices req extra; more at risk grps coming forward
94	Torbay	200 doses req
95	Easington	50% req extra doses; demand from younger at risk groups
96	South Gloucester	All practices affected by delays which put back campaign by 2 weeks; Care homes given priority then risk groups & carers
97	Birkenhead & Wallasey	Worried they will not receive vaccine as letter says DH contingency is limited
98	Calderdale	1000 doses required;
99	Mid Devon	250 doses req
100	Broxtowe & Hucknall	4 practices req extra; demand exceeded for the last 2-3 years
101	Surgery	200 doses req;
102	Nottingham city	600 doses required
103	Westminster	4 week delay to receiving vaccine; problem with Wyeth; will continue to receive supplies in Nov
104	Central Derby	No extra req
105	Wyre	Extra doses req
106	Fylde	Extra doses req; cannot get any from suppliers
107	Selby & York	870 doses req
108	surgery
109	St Albans	700 doses req; gps have shared vaccine;
110	Chorley	Surplus has been offered around the area; 2850 extra doses req
111	Sunderland	1000 doses req;
112	South cambs	Small number of doses req
113	Surgery	Extra doses req
114	Havering	Practices told to prioritise but BMA message not consistent
115	Great Yarmouth	300 doses req
116	Chiltern & S Bucks	9 out of 21 surgeries need extra
117	E Yorks	Some req extra
118	Croydon	Some suppliers reneging on reserve orders
119	SW Staffs	808 doses req

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