§ Ms PrimaroloTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of surgeons have been vaccinated against hepatitis B.
§ Mr. SackvilleThis information is not available centrally, but surgeons have been among the high risk groups recommended to receive hepatitis B vaccine since its introduction in 1982. Guidance to health authorities and trusts was reinforced last August by the issue of the booklet "Protecting Health Care Workers and Patients from Hepatitis B", with accompanying health service guidelines. These guidelines ask provider units to aim to immunise and check the immunity of all surgeons by the middle of 1994. Copies of the booklet and guidelines are available in the Library.