http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...repare-work-help-deal-swine-flu-epidemic.html
Retired doctors prepare to work again to help deal with swine flu epidemic
By Sophie Borland
Last updated at 6:24 PM on 15th July 2009
Hundreds of doctors are preparing to come out of retirement to help deal with the impending swine flu epidemic.
The British Medical Association has drawn up a database of 342 former GPs and consultants who will be brought in to treat patients should the situation get any worse.
They will be given a temporary certificate to practise by the General Medical Council that would come into effect immediately.
It comes amid fears the virus will explode during autumn and winter with tens of thousands of new cases each week.
Swine flu is already spreading rapidly across the West Midlands and the South East with London on the verge of declaring an official epidemic.
An epidemic is defined as more than 200 people in 100,000 report symptoms to their GPs.
Last week the figure in London stood at 180 per 100,000.
Some 16 Britons have now died from swine flu while tens of thousands are thought to have been infected.
Two of the victims appeared to have no health problems before contracting the virus, including six-year-old Chloe Buckley who died last week hours after complaining of a sore throat.
Hospital chief executives are being urged to consider cancelling non-urgent operations and GP surgeries may cancel regular tests they conduct on those with long-term health conditions.
The BMA said that over the last few months it had compiled a database of retired doctors who have agreed to step-in to help contain the virus.
Most are GPs but other doctors including retired hospital consultants are also on the list.
The BMA insisted that the planning was only in early stages and that the doctors would only be called up should the situation get significantly worse.
They have not yet decided whether the doctors would be sent to the worst-hit areas or whether they would go along to their local surgeries to help provide back-up.
They would be deployed to treat swine-flu patients as opposed to administering vaccines during immunisation programmes.
A spokesman for the BMA said: 'We have compiled a database of doctors who have agreed to work during a flu pandemic and there are 342 names.
'They are all doctors known to the BMA and they have all agreed that they can be contacted.
'They are primarily GPs but they are also others with a variety of specialisms that could be called up should we need them.
'It is in the very early stages. However the doctors would be used to treat patients with swine flu.
?It is unlikely that they would be involved in any immunisation programmemes.?
Retired doctors prepare to work again to help deal with swine flu epidemic
By Sophie Borland
Last updated at 6:24 PM on 15th July 2009
Hundreds of doctors are preparing to come out of retirement to help deal with the impending swine flu epidemic.
The British Medical Association has drawn up a database of 342 former GPs and consultants who will be brought in to treat patients should the situation get any worse.
They will be given a temporary certificate to practise by the General Medical Council that would come into effect immediately.
It comes amid fears the virus will explode during autumn and winter with tens of thousands of new cases each week.
Swine flu is already spreading rapidly across the West Midlands and the South East with London on the verge of declaring an official epidemic.
An epidemic is defined as more than 200 people in 100,000 report symptoms to their GPs.
Last week the figure in London stood at 180 per 100,000.
Some 16 Britons have now died from swine flu while tens of thousands are thought to have been infected.
Two of the victims appeared to have no health problems before contracting the virus, including six-year-old Chloe Buckley who died last week hours after complaining of a sore throat.
Hospital chief executives are being urged to consider cancelling non-urgent operations and GP surgeries may cancel regular tests they conduct on those with long-term health conditions.
The BMA said that over the last few months it had compiled a database of retired doctors who have agreed to step-in to help contain the virus.
Most are GPs but other doctors including retired hospital consultants are also on the list.
The BMA insisted that the planning was only in early stages and that the doctors would only be called up should the situation get significantly worse.
They have not yet decided whether the doctors would be sent to the worst-hit areas or whether they would go along to their local surgeries to help provide back-up.
They would be deployed to treat swine-flu patients as opposed to administering vaccines during immunisation programmes.
A spokesman for the BMA said: 'We have compiled a database of doctors who have agreed to work during a flu pandemic and there are 342 names.
'They are all doctors known to the BMA and they have all agreed that they can be contacted.
'They are primarily GPs but they are also others with a variety of specialisms that could be called up should we need them.
'It is in the very early stages. However the doctors would be used to treat patients with swine flu.
?It is unlikely that they would be involved in any immunisation programmemes.?