GPs to administer swine flu vaccine

The upcoming swine flu vaccination programme will be administered by GPs, following successful negotiations by the Department of Health and other interest groups.

Vaccinations are expected to begin being administered to the nine million people in the UK at most risk of complications and should help reduce the burden on hospital intensive care departments during the pandemic.

GP surgeries will receive GBP 5.25 per dose of the vaccine given to help them contact patients, administer the vaccine and take on extra staff.

Health secretary Andy Burnham explained that the plans have been finalised in preparation for the approaching winter flu season.

He explained: 'The vaccine is the best line of defence against this virus and I would strongly urge all of those in the at-risk groups, as well as frontline health and social care workers to have the vaccine.

'All at-risk groups will be able to receive the vaccine in the familiar surroundings of their own surgery.'

Last week, the NHS announced a critical care strategy that will double capacity during the peak of the anticipated second wave of swine flu virus outbreak in the UK.