GPs highlight concerns over supply of flu vaccines

The Royal College of GPs has written to Health Secretary Matt Hancock seeking assurances that general practice will have enough doses of this winter’s flu vaccine to cope with demand.

Martin Marshall, who chairs the RCGP, said that some GP surgeries are waiting up to a month for supplies of the flu vaccine because of unprecedented numbers of patients seeking jabs ahead of the second wave of coronavirus.

The struggle to get jabs has ignited fears that vulnerable groups, including elderly people and those with underlying conditions, will go unprotected.

The government says that there is no national shortage, stressing that there will be enough doses in the coming weeks and months to vaccinate the 30 million people deemed most vulnerable to flu. Despite this, a number of leading pharmacies, including Boots, have warned that there has been very high demand for the vaccine and has had to suspend bookings.

Marshall said that practices plan ‘meticulously’ each year to deliver vaccination programmes on a mass scale and preparations have long been underway to deliver this year’s expanded flu programme. In his letter, he wrote that GPs typically order flu vaccines at least six months in advance and many will have put in orders before the pandemic struck.

However, GPs are reporting that they have already experienced increase demand amongst certain groups, and the additional cohort of children and over 50s were included in this year’s programme at a late stage.

He wrote: “We have heard anecdotally that some surgeries are waiting up to a month for replenished supply of vaccine which raises concerns that there are significant distribution problems. It is crucial that the government are as transparent as possible about any shortages that may occur, so that GPs can make appropriate planning decisions. It will not be helpful for practices or acceptable to patients if current claims that there are no supply problems are exposed as overly-optimistic in coming months.

“We know that many practices are already running evening and weekend flu clinics, whilst adhering to social distancing measures. Many practices are also collaborating with neighbouring practices delivering flu vaccines in non-typical settings such as large community centres, ‘drive through’ clinics, or car parks. These practices must be reassured that they will sufficient flu stocks as we approach winter.

“I hope you can provide me with some assurance that there is sufficient supply of the vaccine and that any distributions problems will be communicated to GPs as a matter of urgency.”