MPs and Peers were invited on Wednesday to attend Westminster Flu Day, a flu vaccine clinic held in the House of Commons, to encourage their constituents to get this season’s flu vaccine in line with Government recommendations.   

 

47.7% nationally of at-risk patients and 26.8% of people over the age of 65 did not have a flu vaccine last year even though they were eligible for a free flu vaccine on the NHS.1

 

Sir Nicholas Soames MP said; “The consequences of having flu for certain groups of people, such as people with a medical condition, pregnant women, children and people over the age of 65 can be serious. I would therefore urge everyone who is entitled to a free flu vaccine on the NHS to go and get vaccinated.”

 

Dr Dan Poulter MP, Minister for Health, added; “Vaccination against flu helps to protect those people who are more susceptible to serious complications or even death from flu”.

 

Seasonal flu (influenza) is a highly infectious illness and it is important for those most at risk to be vaccinated against it. The consequences of influenza can be fatal and there were estimated to be 11,000 deaths from flu in the UK in the 2012/13 flu season2. It is estimated that in excess of 6 million working days are lost in the UK due to seasonal influenza every year.  Flu can put a considerable burden on NHS resources, with numerous GP consultations and hospitalisations. In England and Wales, influenza accounts for over 400,000 general practitioner consultations annually. In England, elderly respiratory hospital admissions during epidemics of influenza cost the UK health service over £22 million every winter.3

The Department of Health (DH) recommends free flu vaccinations for those aged 65 or over; and for people with certain chronic conditions such as respiratory disease (including asthma); heart, renal, liver or neurological disease; diabetes; low immune systems; as well as people living in long-stay facilities such as nursing and residential homes, and carers of elderly or disabled people.  Healthcare professionals are also encouraged to have the vaccination, as well as pregnant women and children aged two, three and four.4

Almost 50% of people with a serious medical condition, 25% of people over the age of 65, 60% of pre children and 60% of pregnant women did not have a flu vaccine last year in England, despite the fact that the consequences of not having a flu vaccine for these groups of people can be serious.5

 

The ABPI Vaccine Group is working hard with the Department of Health and Public Health England to understand how it can improve implementation of the seasonal flu programme in the at-risk groups and amongst pregnant women, healthcare professionals and children.

 

Westminster Flu Day is an established event in the Parliamentary calendar. It is sponsored by the ABPI Vaccine Group and is supported by the Royal College of GPs, the Department of Health and Public Health England as a useful way to highlight the importance of flu vaccination.

 

Parliamentarians who would not be eligible for a free seasonal flu vaccine on the NHS made a £10 donation to the Disasters Emergency Committee. £10 is equivalent to the cost of a private vaccination.