On Tuesday 14th July, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the UK will see the biggest seasonal flu vaccination drive in history this winter to try and mitigate the fear of a winter crisis doubled by coronavirus. Remotely addressing the National Pharmacy Association annual conference, Mr Hancock said,
“We’re going to frankly need to use all of the capabilities at our disposal to deliver the vaccine programmes that we need to in the months ahead.”
According to the Health Secretary, community pharmacists would be key to helping vaccinate as many at risk people such as the elderly and those with underlying conditions. Speaking about the initiative, high street Pharmacist Umesh Patel, said,
“Six months ago, community pharmacies were not recognised as an integral part of the NHS. When we worked countless hours each day to look after the population irrespective of the age or their background, when the general practice carried out all the work from home, only then the Government recognised our value in the UK. We were criticised for overcharging, threatened to close us down but we carried on with pride and without prejudice.
“The Government must provide the £370m as a grant and not as a loan. If in England we are paid within 30 days for dispensing prescriptions like its done in Northern Ireland, we can pay our suppliers on time which is now part of the problem as technically we are paid 90 days for the prescriptions we dispensed.
“We need more funding and are well prepared to provide flu vaccination service from September onwards. If there is pandemic, we will be ready for that as well. We hope we will get properly remunerated for this service which so important at the moment. However, we will need to improve and make our consultation rooms fit for purpose and to make it safe for us and the customers. We will need more funding to make changes in these private rooms and that is another hurdle to cross over.”
There are increasing concerns that a severe winter or flu epidemic besides a second wave of Covid-19 infections could overwhelm the NHS for a second time leading to more deaths and cancelled operations.
