§ Mr. BatisteTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what monitoring her Department is undertaking as to the effectiveness of family health authorities, general medical practitioners, regional medical officers and district medical officers in implementing the advice of the Chief Medical Officer of 21 September on the immunisation of groups at risk from influenza; and if she will make a statement as to the results.
§ Mr. SackvilleThe Department monitors the national uptake of influenza vaccine each year. In addition, the public health laboratory service's communicable disease surveillance centre monitors laboratory reports of influenza—and other respiratory tract infections—and provides regular information for health authorities through its communicable disease review. It is for directors of public health to decide what data to collect locally in assessing health care needs, including protection against influenza. Steps have been taken in the past two years to ensure that both doctors and patients are aware of the benefits of influenza immunisation for those patients who are at increased risk of complications should they develop influenza. This includes the production of guidance leaflets for general practitioners, revised guidance in the 1992 edition of "Immunisation against Infectious Disease" and a patient information poster for GPs' surgeries.