HSJ Swine Flu Information Service
Swine flu news
Nurses least likely to get flu vaccine
Health workers who are least likely to receive the flu vaccination are nurses and midwives, figures have revealed.
Trust in public health advice could be compromised by reforms
The perceived independence of public health advice could be compromised if Public Health England becomes an integrated government department, existing agencies have warned.
Swine flu vaccine bill cost department £239m
The government spent £239m on the swine flu vaccine, official figures reveal.
Government 'may take over flu vaccine ordering'
GPs could be forced to hand over control of ordering flu vaccine after complaints about this year’s programme, the government’s director of immunisation has suggested.
DH ordered to disclose cost of swine flu vaccine
The Department of Health has been ordered to release data on the costs of last year’s swine flu vaccination programme, after it failed to comply fully with a Freedom of Information Act request.
The health bill in the news
The NHS was everywhere this week, with heavy coverage ahead of Wednesday’s Health Bill.
Flu jab restriction 'not down to cutting costs'
The government’s chief medical adviser has insisted that cost-cutting was not to blame for the decision not to vaccinate all under-fives against flu.
Winter flu deaths reach 112
Flu claimed the lives of 112 people in the UK since September, according to government data.
Latest flu death figures to be published
Latest figures on the number of flu deaths will be published on Thursday as the mother of a three-year-old victim urged the government to further review its vaccination policy.
Hopes for 'universal' flu vaccine
Patients who had swine flu last year developed protective antibodies that could be used to make a jab to guard against most kinds of influenza, US scientists have said.
PM defiant over flu jab shortage
David Cameron has warned that lessons must be learned from Britain’s recent flu vaccine shortage as the country faces “significant outbreaks” for years to come.
Swine flu vaccine used to fill gaps in seasonal jab
Stocks of last year’s swine flu jab will be used to plug shortages in this year’s vaccination programme as the death toll from the virus continues to rise.
Operations cancelled to support flu treatment
Some hospitals have been told to cancel operations to make way for the most seriously ill flu patients.
NHS 24 fields 50,000 calls in four days
Scotland’s health helpline recorded a sharp increase in the calls it received over the new year holiday with around 10,000 more people phoning the service for advice than last year.
Only one in five frontline NHS staff vaccinated against flu
A “disappointingly low” proportion of NHS staff took up the flu vaccinations this winter, NHS chief executive Sir David Nicholson has said.
Local flu vaccine shortages revealed
The government has admitted some parts of the country were suffering shortages of flu vaccines as it prepared to reveal the latest death toll from the winter outbreak.
Lansley reassures over flu rise
The health secretary has said that the NHS is “coping well” with the severe weather and flu, despite a rise in consultations related to flu and an increase in deaths.
Flu death toll reaches 27
A total of 27 people have died from influenza this winter, including nine children, latest official figures show.
Rise in intensive care beds occupied by flu patients
The number of flu cases being treated in critical care beds has increased by 66 per cent in the last week, according to figures released by the Department of Health.
Swine Flu Timeline
Ian Dalton's swine flu update - standing down the national pandemic flu service
In his weekly update for HSJ and Nursing Times, national director for NHS flu resilience Ian Dalton discusses the latest developments in UK swine flu preparations
Online Resources
More on swine flu
Planning for winter influenza - assessing the potential impact on HCAIs
Have you planned for early discharge during the winter influenza season? Does your winter preparedness plan include provision for MRSA patients?
