Shortage of health staff flu jabs

Health officials are getting more vaccine from emergency stocks

A Scottish NHS board has run out of flu vaccine for staff, blaming the shortage on higher-than-usual demand.

Managers at NHS Lothian said they were getting extra supplies from the Scottish Executive's emergency stocks.

They insisted that more vaccine was set to be available soon, when further inoculation sessions for potentially at-risk employees would be held.

Officials rejected a report suggesting that ward closures may follow due to illness among staff.

NHS Lothian said more people had already been vaccinated this year than in 2004.

A spokesman said: "This year's NHS Lothian staff flu vaccination campaign has been an unprecedented success with far higher demand than usual.

The allocation which normally takes a fortnight to use was taken up in a week NHS Lothian spokesman

"At the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh we not only had open clinics but had roving staff approaching other employees directly to encourage them to have jags.

"The result was that the allocation which normally takes a fortnight to use was taken up in a week."

The spokesman added: "We strongly encourage staff, especially those in direct contact with patients, to have jags and are pleased that so many have come forward.

Bird flu

"As there is still clear demand we are in the process of accessing additional supplies from the Scottish Executive contingency stocks."

Campaigners at Age Concern Scotland said last month that anxiety over a bird flu pandemic had "probably fuelled an increase" in demand for winter flu vaccines.

Scotland's chief medical officer had said the country was facing a shortage of winter flu vaccines due to unusually high demand.

The vaccine has been recommended for the over-65s and anyone with a chronic illness such as diabetes or asthma.

BMA Scotland said GPs had clear guidelines on who should receive jabs.