§ Liz BlackmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what data are required to be collected on influenza immunisations by(a) his Department, (b) local health authorities and (c) regional health authorities; [88778]
(2) what requirements exist for general practitioners to provide data on the number of their patients vaccinated against influenza in risk groups; [88773]
(3) what information is collected on the coverage of the influenza vaccine (a) in risk groups and (b) for all people over 75 years of age; [88775]
(4) what targets his Department has set for increasing the percentage of people in risk groups receiving influenza vaccinations. [88777]
§ Ms JowellNo data are required to be collected but some health authorities collect the information locally. Estimates of national influenza vaccine coverage are made by analysing the General Practice Research Database by risk group and by age. Figures for 1989 to 1997 were published in Health Trends (1998; 30: 51–5), copies of which are available in the Library. Overall uptake in the274W risk groups was estimated to be about 23 per cent. and varied with age—about 44 per cent. of those over 65 years in a high risk group received vaccine in 1996–97 compared with 13 per cent. of those aged 35–49 years. Figures for the 1998–99 influenza season are not yet available. Targets are not set because of the difficulty of accurately assessing denominators for the risk groups.
Guidance for health authorities on planning for dealing with winter pressures includes the need to increase influenza immunisation uptake in the risk groups. Flu Awareness Week, launched each year at a press briefing held by the Chief Medical Officer, also aims to increase vaccine uptake.
§ Liz BlackmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance is given by his Department to local health authorities and general practitioners about running effective influenza immunisation campaigns to target risk groups. [88772]
§ Ms JowellInformation for general practitioners and health authorities is given in the United Kingdom Health Departments' memorandum 'Immunisation against Infectious Disease' and in letters and circulars issued by the Department (most recently Professional Letter/Chief Medical Officer/98/4/PL/Chief Nursing Officer/98/6 and Health Service Circular 1998–140), copies of which are available in the Library.
§ Liz BlackmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what scientific evidence his Department has evaluated on the success rate of the influenza vaccine in preventing this disease. [88779]
§ Ms JowellInfluenza viruses change and different strains predominate from year to year. Each season a new vaccine is produced from strains of virus closely related to those expected to be in circulation. The effectiveness of the vaccine will depend on how well the vaccine strains match the strains of influenza that actually circulate. Effective global surveillance co-ordinated by the World Health Organisation means that in most years there is a good match.
All information on the effectiveness of influenza vaccine in preventing influenza and its complications is reviewed on a regular basis by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, the expert advisory committee that advises the Government on immunisation matters.
§ Liz BlackmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the unit cost of an influenza vaccination. [88770]
§ Ms JowellThe list prices for vaccines are given in the British National Formulary, copies of which are available in the Library. Last season's list prices for influenza vaccine ranged from £5.08 to £5.70 a dose. Prices for the coming season have not yet been announced.