Flu vaccine delivery delay expected to cause disruption to appointments

Ministers have faced calls to “get a grip” after it emerged flu vaccine deliveries to GPs will be delayed.

Appointments for many patients will have to be rescheduled after Seqirus, the largest provider of flu vaccines to the UK, confirmed delays of up to two weeks in England and Wales.

The company blamed “unforeseen challenges linked with road freight delays” for the delivery disruption.

GP Online reported the company had sent a letter advising practices not to rebook appointments until they receive confirmation of a new delivery date of vaccine supplies.

An apparent exodus of HGV drivers from EU countries, who returned to the continent during the coronavirus pandemic and remained there, has been blamed for disruption in sectors of the economy in recent weeks.

For Labour, shadow health secretary Jon Ashworth said: “GPs are at their wits’ end, first forced to cancel blood tests because of bottle shortages and now we learn flu vaccines will be delayed.

“This has been a summer of crisis for the NHS with patients paying the price.

“With winter coming and flu resurgence a huge risk, ministers must urgently get a grip.”

A Seqirus spokeswoman said: “Seqirus supplies influenza vaccines to all GP practices in England and Wales.

“Due to unforeseen challenges linked with road freight delays, we have informed all our customers of a consequent delay to their scheduled vaccine delivery by a maximum of one to two weeks.

“Seqirus is working hard to resolve the delay to allow customers to reschedule their influenza vaccination clinics.”

Dr Richard Vautrey, British Medical Association GP committee chairman, said the issue is likely to affect a “significant proportion” of practices – and have a “serious impact” on practice workloads and patients.

He said: “Many practices will have spent the last few days and weeks meticulously planning for their flu vaccination programme, inviting and booking patients in for their jabs, only now to have to contact them all again to cancel or reschedule appointments.

“This causes a huge increase in staff’s already unsustainable workloads, and inconvenience and unneeded anxiety for patients who will be keen to be protected ahead of winter.

“This is on top of the chaos already being caused by the shortage of blood test bottles, which is leaving hardworking doctors and practice teams bearing the brunt of understandable frustrations from patients when the problem is well outside of their control.

“That this appears to be stemming from similar issues around freight capacity and transportation is incredibly concerning, and we must ask the Government exactly what it is doing to urgently address this.”

Health Secretary Sajid Javid has previously said the seasonal flu programme in England – beginning this month – will be the biggest in the country’s history and urged everyone eligible to take up the jab.

The free flu vaccines will be available to more than 35 million people including all secondary school students this winter, according to the Government.

It comes as the country prepares to deal with a normal flu season alongside the Covid pandemic.