§ 3.47 p.m.
§ Lord McNallyasked Her Majesty's Government:
What steps they are taking to ensure maximum co-ordination between the Department of Health, the Department for Education and Employment and the universities to ensure student awareness of risk and response to meningitis.
§ The Minister of State, Department of Health (Baroness Jay of Paddington)My Lords, perhaps 1481 I may first offer sympathy to those who have been affected by the recent outbreak at the universities, particularly of course to the families of those students who have tragically died. The Government are conscious of the need to keep awareness of meningitis at a high level. That is the best way to prevent serious disease developing. To that end, the Health Education Authority, which is funded by and works with the Department of Health, has produced leaflets and posters targeted especially at students. About 1.2 million fliers and posters have been sent out this term to 724 colleges in England and 41 colleges in Wales. The HEA has named contacts for its meningitis awareness programme in each of those colleges. In addition, the relevant Department of Health senior medical officer is also the DfEE's medical adviser. It has therefore been possible to develop a close working relationship between the staff of both departments with specific responsibility in this area.
§ Lord McNallyMy Lords, I thank the Minister for that full reply, which I am sure gives reassurance to parents and students. I am certain she agrees that it is proper to get meningitis into proper perspective, in that it is a relatively rare disease, but that it is also at a relatively high level of incidence at the moment, particularly in the late teen group. Has her department looked at a wider use of vaccination to combat meningitis? What prospect is there of bringing on new vaccines which are being tested at present?
§ Baroness Jay of PaddingtonMy Lords, I thank the noble Lord for making the point that this is a relatively rare disease, although nonetheless devastating to those whom it affects. On the question of vaccination, the problem is that the strain (meningitis strain C), which at the moment is affecting students in Southampton, for example, is susceptible to a vaccine only in the very short term. The other strain which is more common (meningitis strain B) is not susceptible at all. In fact, on 3rd November the Department of Health announced a £1 million programme to look further into the two vaccines, because there looked to be some optimistic outcomes with regard to the strain C vaccine.