(2) how many pensioners received a free influenza vaccine in (a) Cheadle constituency and (b) Stockport Primary Care Trust area in each year since 1997; and what percentage each figure represents of those eligible in each year;
(3) how many free influenza vaccines (a) are available for use, (b) will be available for use by November 2007 and (c) will be available for use by December 2007 in (i) Cheadle constituency and (ii) Stockport Primary Care Trust area.
Flu vaccine uptake data was collected for the first time in those aged 65 and over from 2000-01. Uptake data for those aged under 65 in an at risk group started in 2005-06 and for carers in 2006-07.
Information is collected by primary care trust (PCT) and strategic health authority. Information is not collected by constituency.
The number and percentage of those aged 65 and over, those aged under 65 with diabetes and carers who received a flu vaccine in Stockport PCT for which data were collected are shown as follows:
Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage 2000-01 29,885 64 — — — — 2001-02 32,782 69 — — — — 2002-03 34,225 72 — — — — 2003-04 34,769 73 — — — — 2004-05 33,475 75 — — — — 2005-06 38,469 79 2,974 76 — — 2006-07 34,953 77 2,698 71 490 54
The Department does not purchase flu vaccine on behalf of general practitioner (GPs). GPs place orders for vaccine direct from the supplier of their choice. There are six suppliers of flu vaccine to the United Kingdom.
The Department requested 15.75 million doses from manufacturers for this winter’s flu programme. Latest estimates from suppliers show that over 16 million doses of flu vaccine are available for distribution. We do not set the UK Vaccine Industry group targets for the delivery of flu vaccine however, by week ending 12 October, 13.2 million doses had been distributed in the United Kingdom.