Figures from the flu vaccination programme 2006/07, showed seventy
four per cent of those aged 65 and over received a flu jab by the end
of January 2007, and 42 per cent of those under 65 in at risk groups
were vaccinated.
In 2006/07, 6.2 million people in the 65 and over group were
vaccinationed against flu. This figure is comparable to last year's
campaign. (2005/06.)
The achievements of the flu campaign are all the more impressive
considering that vaccine deliveries were delayed by several weeks due
to manufacturing problems.
A new flu vaccination programme was announced in January for people
who work in close contact with poultry; nearly all PCTs have plans
to implement the programme, targeted for completion by March 31.
The Department of Health is also publishing today the review of the
seasonal flu programme commissioned by the Health Secretary after the
2005/06 campaign. The review identifies a number of ways for the
Department of Health and the NHS to build on the programme's
successes. The main recommendations are:
Sustain progress achieved so far:
-- Improve uptake among occupational health groups (health workers)
-- Enhance the role of influenza co-ordinators and improve national,
regional and local co-ordination and contingency planning.
-- Explore the full range of delivery mechanisms available to the NHS
through different contract types
-- Review future options for the purchase, supply and delivery of
vaccine
Many recommendations have already been implemented, for example,
improving communication with vaccine manufacturers and GPs.
Secretary of State Patricia Hewitt welcomed the report and commended
the reviewers for such a thorough piece of work and said that the
Department will be considering the detailed recommendations.
The review found greater public awareness of avian and pandemic flu
in 2005 meant that some GP practices could not immediately meet
public demand for flu vaccine and this may have led to reports of
shortages.
Dr David Salisbury, Director of Immunisation at the Department of
Health said;
"It is important to acknowledge the excellent achievement made by the
GPs, nurses, health service providers and primary care organisations
in delivering the seasonal flu programme in 2006/07. More than six
million people aged 65 and over were immunised against flu, which can
be a serious illness for older people.
"The seasonal flu review recognises that England runs an effective
seasonal flu vaccination programme that achieves one of the highest
uptakes in Europe. We accept in principle the recommendations to
strengthen the programme, while recognising that some details may
need to be considered more fully . We look forward to consulting
widely about this."
-- Copies of the review are available from the Department of Health here.
-- Regarding flu vaccine uptake figures, we have extrapolated the
figures up to assume a 100 per cent return from GP practices. We have
worked out how many people would have been vaccinated if we had
received a 100 per cent return for each of the years. This makes the
assumption that there are no differences in the size of the GP
practices returning data.
-- Flu uptake figures are published by the HPA.
5. For risk groups announced in last year's CMO annual letter to the
NHS for the 2006/07 seasonal flu campaign see, click here (PDF).
-- Influenza is an acute viral infection and in most years occurs
predominantly during a six to eight week period during the winter.
-- For most people, this seasonal influenza is an unpleasant but self
limiting and not life endangering illness. In some people it may be
more severe, or complicated by secondary bacterial infections. The
very young, the elderly and people with underlying diseases such as
heart or chest disease are particularly at risk of serious illness
from influenza.
-- Poultry workers are being vaccinated as a precautionary measure
against a pandemic flu virus emerging in England.
dh
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