Last week I attended the Clinical Governance Committee of the London Ambulance Service NHS Trust in my capacity as Vice Chair of the Patients Forum. I was quite surprised to hear the Medical Director, Dr Fiona Moore, tell the meeting that she had not yet recommended LAS staff to avail of the swine flu vaccine. I questioned her on this and asked her was it not NHS and Dept of Health policy for all frontline health staff to take the vaccine. She confirmed that it was but that she had not yet received sufficient assurances regarding its safety. Rather disconcerted by this reply, as I was aware that my local GP was having a swine flu vaccination clinic on Saturday, I contacted the Chair of the Forum, the nationally known health activist and National Association of LINks Members Chair, Malcolm Alexander. Malcolm wrote to Dr Moore and surprisingly within days she had reversed her decision, stating that she was recommending vaccination of all LAS staff. This rather surprised me but is indicative of the confusion surrounding this issue.
The voluntary sector organisation where I work, which deals with many vulnerable older and disabled people, many of whom are in poor health, was contacted regarding vaccination by Lambeth Council last week. As many of our staff are frontline staff visiting people in their homes, Lambeth Council offered to provide vaccination sessions for the voluntary sector in the borough. This, I thought, was a responsible and correct step. Imagine my surprise and disappointment then when the Director told me that almost nobody had taken up the offer and that two members of staff had stated that under no circumstances would they take the vaccine. He pointed out that vaccination was voluntary and that he could not do anything more. The ironic thing about this is that one member of staff is currently very ill with swine flu and I would have thought that this would have spurred people on. Unfortunately many people have been taken in by hysteria and disinformation about vaccination and I fear that the consequences may be serious for both workers and patients in the health and social care fields. One need only see what is happening in Ukraine at present to be worried.
I was vaccinated on Saturday, together with my partner. We have had no problems whatsoever other than some swelling in the area which was injected. As someone who has been active in anti-flu campaigns and has been pushing hard on the issue in the NHS over the last few years, I am very disconcerted by the anti-science and frankly absurd position adopted by some people, many of whom should know better. My great grandfather and grand uncle were both carried away by the 1918 pandemic within the course of 24 hours and I have always taken this illness very seriously. It only right that frontline health and social care staff be vaccinated now, along with all those in the high risk groups. I fear that a busy winter lies ahead for our hospitals and GPs and they need all the help they can get.
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