Driver shortage delays flu vaccine delivery across Shropshire
A leading GP has urged the Government to use the army to deliver flu vaccines, after it emerged Shropshire's supply has been delayed by a shortage of drivers.
Dr Charlotte Hart, GP Partner at Radbrook Green Surgery and Clinical Director of Shrewsbury Primary Care Network, said practices across the county currently do not know when their flu vaccines will arrive.
She has asked people not to contact GP surgeries and pharmacies to 'check' if they can book appointments in advance, and said that eligible people will be contacted when the jabs arrive.
The flu vaccination is ordered 12 months in advance and while there have been delays in its arrival in previous years – down to manufacturing issues – this year county GPs are already looking at a two to three-week delay in starting flu clinics.
Dr Hart said they had been told the issue had been caused by a lack of delivery drivers – a problem plaguing many areas of the UK, including supermarkets, which have seen shelves emptied because of supply chain difficulties.
She said: "It seems things have gone wrong this year and it seems it has gone wrong in the delivery chain and there are not enough drivers to deliver it. That is what we are being told."
The Shrewsbury GP said the Government should be considering all avenues to get the vaccines delivered – including bringing in the army.
She said: "It is really, really important so I hope the government is exploring all possible avenues, including the army, with a view to getting the vaccine to practices and community pharmacies."
Dr Hart said one practice had received received a delivery of of flu vaccine – but had been given only 24 hours notice of it arriving.
She added that the situation meant plans for flu clinics, and to start with vaccinating people in care homes had been put on hold until they receive a firm date for delivery.
She said: "We do not know what we are going to get when so we cannot book anything until we know that.
"We were going to do care homes this week and next week and start the flu clinics on the 18th and 19th and every weekend after that but we can't because we definitely won't have vaccine for then."
She added: "From a health point of view it is okay because the flu season does not usually start until much later this year, the biggest peak tends to be January and February.
"But what we wanted to try and do was get most vulnerable people vaccinated this September. Sadly all those plans have been pushed on two maybe three weeks so it is very frustrating from that point of view because it just pushes the work further down the line."
Dr Hart implored the public not to contact GP surgeries to try and book flu vaccinations – and to wait until they are called.
She said: "If everyone can bear with us, this is across the whole of Shropshire so please bear with us, your practice will contact you when they have flu vaccine to book your appointment."
