Surgery told to focus flu jabs on vulnerable groups

A GP at a surgery in Ottershaw, Surrey had been offering the swine flu vaccine to all patients older than six months, but he has been told to make his focus vulnerable groups, such as pregnant women and the elderly.

The surgery had more than a thousand swine flu vaccine doses left over from 2010, but, despite this, NHS Surrey wants the surgery to save them for vulnerable patients, or pass them on to other local practices where the vaccines are needed.

Director of public health for NHS Surrey, Dr Akeen Ali, said: "We are aware of some confusion at one Surrey GP practice and have been in touch with the practice to remind them of current vaccination policy.

"In Surrey we have made it clear to GPs that they should be using their clinical judgement and vaccinating people in at risk groups."

The discussion on vaccinations follows a period of increase in flu deaths (many from swine flu) since October. The total number of deaths was 112 to 13 January. The majority who died were between the ages of 15 and 64.

The Health Protection Agency said that the number of people seeing their doctors with flu-like symptoms was beginning to flatten out.

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