§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will fund a scheme to offer influenza vaccinations to employees of large organisations on their work premises; and if he will make a statement. [132461]
§ Miss Melanie JohnsonThe Department's policy for recommending influenza vaccination is to protect those most at risk from serious illness should they catch influenza.
If employees of companies are in the recommended risk group to be vaccinated they can receive their flu vaccination from their general practitioner free of charge. Otherwise it is a decision for individual companies as to whether or not they offer their employees influenza vaccination under an occupational health scheme.
§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to extend the provision of free influenza vaccinations to citizens under 65; what assessment he has made of the cost of extending provision; and if he will make a statement. [132462]
§ Miss Melanie JohnsonDepartmental policy is determined following recommendations from the Joint Committee on Vaccinations and Immunisation (JCVI). This is an independent group of experts, which reviews all current research on the subject of immunisation and its recommendation is based on reducing morbidity and mortality among the population.
468WBased upon current scientific research, the JCVI recommends that people aged 65 years and over and those aged under 65 years of age in certain clinical risk groups benefit most from being immunised against influenza.
This advice is kept under regular review.