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| English health officials hit back in flu jabs row | English health officials hit back in flu jabs row |
| (3 days later) | |
| By Nick Triggle Health reporter, BBC News | By Nick Triggle Health reporter, BBC News |
| Health officials in England have hit back at Scottish accusations that they never asked for its spare flu vaccines to plug the shortfall. | Health officials in England have hit back at Scottish accusations that they never asked for its spare flu vaccines to plug the shortfall. |
| Reports emerged in England this week of GPs running out of the jabs. | Reports emerged in England this week of GPs running out of the jabs. |
| The Scottish government told the BBC on Friday it had "plenty" of jabs in an emergency pot and would have been willing to try to help out if asked. | The Scottish government told the BBC on Friday it had "plenty" of jabs in an emergency pot and would have been willing to try to help out if asked. |
| But England's Department of Health said it was told in talks on Tuesday that Scotland could not free up much. | But England's Department of Health said it was told in talks on Tuesday that Scotland could not free up much. |
| Vaccination ordering differs in the two countries. In England, GPs order flu vaccines direct from manufacturers. | Vaccination ordering differs in the two countries. In England, GPs order flu vaccines direct from manufacturers. |
| In Scotland, pharmacists order on behalf of GPs, but the government also gets in extra itself for a contingency pot. | In Scotland, pharmacists order on behalf of GPs, but the government also gets in extra itself for a contingency pot. |
| It currently has 40,000 doses in that stockpile. | It currently has 40,000 doses in that stockpile. |
| Contingency pot | Contingency pot |
| A Scottish government spokeswoman said: "We would always consider helping England in any way appropriate should a request be made, while our priority has to be public health in Scotland which is what we have planned for." | A Scottish government spokeswoman said: "We would always consider helping England in any way appropriate should a request be made, while our priority has to be public health in Scotland which is what we have planned for." |
| But even though there was no formal request, the BBC understands the issue of vaccines was brought up in discussions between civil servants straight after the bank holiday weekend. | But even though there was no formal request, the BBC understands the issue of vaccines was brought up in discussions between civil servants straight after the bank holiday weekend. |
| The Department of Health said its understanding was that there was only a "nominal" amount that could be made available and even this would not be freed up straight-away. A spokeswoman said that was why no formal approach was made. | The Department of Health said its understanding was that there was only a "nominal" amount that could be made available and even this would not be freed up straight-away. A spokeswoman said that was why no formal approach was made. |
| English health officials have also spent time this week asking suppliers whether there are any available vaccines in Europe. | English health officials have also spent time this week asking suppliers whether there are any available vaccines in Europe. |
| But with little on offer, they took the decision on Thursday to let GPs who have run out access the 12m stockpile of vaccine left over from 2009. | But with little on offer, they took the decision on Thursday to let GPs who have run out access the 12m stockpile of vaccine left over from 2009. |
| It is still in date, but only protects against the swine flu strain, just one of three circulating this winter albeit the dominant one. | It is still in date, but only protects against the swine flu strain, just one of three circulating this winter albeit the dominant one. |