Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to tackle low stocks of the flu vaccine (a) for healthcare and other key workers and (b) in general.
There is no national shortage of the flu vaccine. There is sufficient vaccine for up to 30 million people to be vaccinated in England this winter.
General practitioners, pharmacists, and trusts are directly responsible for ordering flu vaccine from suppliers which are used to deliver the national flu programme to adults, with deliveries phased through the season. In addition, the Department has procured additional doses of seasonal flu vaccine to ensure more flu vaccines are available from November. Guidance for GPs, pharmacists and trusts on accessing the additional stock will be issued shortly.