[back] Swine flu vaccine Medical people refusing vaccine
GPs and practice staff on frontline turn down swine
flu vaccine
By Nigel Praities
http://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=35&storycode=4124190&c=2
Many GPs and practice staff are refusing to be vaccinated against swine
flu, even in ‘hot-spot’ areas where rates of infection are rising
fastest.
At some practices no front line staff have agreed to have the vaccine,
despite BMA and Government warnings that it is ‘crucial’ to the success
of the campaign.
And some GPs warned there were early signs that take-up among patients
might also be disappointing, amid continued fears over vaccine safety.
A Pulse survey in August found nearly half of GPs had at that time been
planning to turn the vaccine down, with doubts over safety one of the
key reasons.
Dr Niall Finegan, a GP in Salford, Manchester – close to a hot spot in
Trafford - said he, the four other GPs and six staff members at his
practice planned to refuse the vaccine, and that he did not believe
there was enough evidence it was safe.
’It’s not been around very long. The fact we are testing it out on
pregnant women does not bear thinking about,’ he said.
Dr Louise Warburton, a GP in Telford – identified as one of the
country’s hotspots, with nearly three times the national average
consultations for influenza-like illness – said she was planning to say
no to the vaccine, as were many other local GPs.
Practice staff were also reluctant in many areas. Dr Helen Groom, a GP
in Sunderland – also a hot-spot – said she would have the vaccine, but
around a third of her 23 staff planned to refuse it.
And some GPs warned their own doubts were shared by patients. Dr Andra
Jayaweera, a GP in Rayleigh, Essex, said she would not have the vaccine,
and nor would her practice staff and many of her patients: ‘I usually
get 100% uptake for seasonal flu, but for swine flu the response is very
low.’
Dr Liz Miller, a locum GP in London, said she would not recommend the
vaccine to her patients because of safety concerns: ‘I do not intend to
be vaccinated, nor will I recommend it to patients. It is untested and
unnecessary. It’s time doctors started thinking for themselves instead
of mindlessly obeying the Department of Health because they are
terrified of missing out on free money.’
But Dr David Wild, a GP in Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, said: ‘I will
be having the swine flu vaccine and it will be offered to all our staff.
Our practice is a team and if people start having problems we will not
be able carry out the vaccination programme effectively. ‘