Shiloh
Editor, Senior Moderator
Source: http://www.herald.ie/national-news/gps-in-dark-over-swine-flu-after-two-more-deaths-1902816.html
GPs 'in dark' over swine flu after two more deaths
www.dhiusa.com
By Michael Lavery
Friday October 02 2009
Family doctors have called for talks with the HSE about implementing the swine-flu vaccine, as the death toll from the virus climbed to four in Ireland.
The Department of Health said that two more people have died from swine flu -- both women with underlying medical conditions, who likely contracted the virus in their communities.
The women came from Connacht and Dublin, and died in recent days from swine-flu complications.
Student Darina Calpin (18) from Co Sligo, was the first victim of swine flu in Ireland when she died in Tallaght Hospital in August.
Dr Ronan Boland, chair of the Irish Medical Organisation's GP Committee said it was "regrettable" that there was little contact between GPs and the HSE.
The first contact of any note, he said, had been a letter issued yesterday from the HSE asking them to identify patients with certain medical conditions and offer them the vaccines first -- around 400,000 patients in all.
Excluded
This was a major change from the HSE's previous vaccination plan, which had been to offer the vaccine to healthcare workers and various at-risk groups in specially arranged clinics.
Healthcare workers could now be excluded from the first line of vaccinations, because there may not be enough to go around.
Dr Boland said that there is a "a chain of issues" which needs to be sorted out as soon as possible, including storage, legal indemnity and insurance.
But he said these issues could be sorted out in talks with the HSE in time for the start of the vaccination campaign within a week.
There had been "no discussion" with the profession about the mechanics of operating the vaccination scheme and they had been trying to organise a meeting about swine-flu preparations with officials for the past two and a half months without success, Dr Boland said.
Whatever plan was put in place needed to be safe and deliverable, and should not leave doctors at risk of being sued, he added.
The GPs are to be offered a fee of ?10 per swine-flu vaccinations, which is to be delivered free to patients. The fee is ?28.95 less than doctors get for giving the seasonal flu vaccine.
Twenty-eight people are being treated in hospital for swine flu and 10 of these are in intensive care.
Dr John Devlin, of the Department of Health, said the latest deaths did not mean the flu was becoming more virulent and said that the majority of swine-flu cases were still mild.
Dr Devlin said the occurrence of swine flu in the community rose marginally last week, and said he hoped this represented a "stabilisation" of the spread of the virus.
mlavery@herald.ie
- Michael Lavery
GPs 'in dark' over swine flu after two more deaths
www.dhiusa.com
By Michael Lavery
Friday October 02 2009
Family doctors have called for talks with the HSE about implementing the swine-flu vaccine, as the death toll from the virus climbed to four in Ireland.
The Department of Health said that two more people have died from swine flu -- both women with underlying medical conditions, who likely contracted the virus in their communities.
The women came from Connacht and Dublin, and died in recent days from swine-flu complications.
Student Darina Calpin (18) from Co Sligo, was the first victim of swine flu in Ireland when she died in Tallaght Hospital in August.
Dr Ronan Boland, chair of the Irish Medical Organisation's GP Committee said it was "regrettable" that there was little contact between GPs and the HSE.
The first contact of any note, he said, had been a letter issued yesterday from the HSE asking them to identify patients with certain medical conditions and offer them the vaccines first -- around 400,000 patients in all.
Excluded
This was a major change from the HSE's previous vaccination plan, which had been to offer the vaccine to healthcare workers and various at-risk groups in specially arranged clinics.
Healthcare workers could now be excluded from the first line of vaccinations, because there may not be enough to go around.
Dr Boland said that there is a "a chain of issues" which needs to be sorted out as soon as possible, including storage, legal indemnity and insurance.
But he said these issues could be sorted out in talks with the HSE in time for the start of the vaccination campaign within a week.
There had been "no discussion" with the profession about the mechanics of operating the vaccination scheme and they had been trying to organise a meeting about swine-flu preparations with officials for the past two and a half months without success, Dr Boland said.
Whatever plan was put in place needed to be safe and deliverable, and should not leave doctors at risk of being sued, he added.
The GPs are to be offered a fee of ?10 per swine-flu vaccinations, which is to be delivered free to patients. The fee is ?28.95 less than doctors get for giving the seasonal flu vaccine.
Twenty-eight people are being treated in hospital for swine flu and 10 of these are in intensive care.
Dr John Devlin, of the Department of Health, said the latest deaths did not mean the flu was becoming more virulent and said that the majority of swine-flu cases were still mild.
Dr Devlin said the occurrence of swine flu in the community rose marginally last week, and said he hoped this represented a "stabilisation" of the spread of the virus.
mlavery@herald.ie
- Michael Lavery