Friday, December 24, 2010

Andrew Lansley - Stupid Is As Stupid Does!

Stupid Is, As Stupid Does
Health Secretary
Andrew Lansley
How can we have faith in the Health Secretary Andrew Lansley to oversee the biggest upheaval of any health service undertaken anywhere in the world, when he cannot even get the call to inform people of the flu jab uptake right?

The Department of Health and Andrew Lansley were warned back in early November that uptake for the seasonal flu-jab was being shunned because people were worried about the swine-flu component being included. They were asked then to run an advertising campaign to help inform people but they refused!

They were again asked by GP leaders run a renewed marketing campaign to help fight off a looming flu crisis. This plea was refused, and instead, GPs were told to phone up their at risk patients to try and persuade them to be vaccinated.

The Department of Health has been advised that its decision to cut back on the £180.000 it spent in 2010 on public awareness is ill advised and last week the Department of Health ignored a plea from the GPC to immediately step up their publicity to try and avert a big flu outbreak this winter.

The fact that in 2009/10 the swine flu and general flu outbreak was contained was because the then Labour government took all the necessary steps to avert it.

In response to these urgent requests the Department of Health said it had no plans to bow to the criticism and launch a marketing drive and that instead GPs should ring patients individually to invite them into clinics over Christmas, as it was "vital that those at greatest risk are vaccinated as soon as possible".

A DH spokesperson said: ‘In 2009/10 the DH spent £177,573 advertising seasonal flu vaccinations. This year there is no central campaign, but most PCTs already run localised activity with their GPs to ensure that eligible patients are called up for their annual vaccination.'


I would like the very stupid, very ignorant Andrew Lansely to contact me gracie.samuels@hushmail.com and explain why in his appalling ignorance and arrogance, he thinks he knows better than health care professionals. He may also like to explain to the nation, how when he shows such appalling ignorance and arrogance, he thinks he is a fit person to oversee the privatisation or the British NHS?

If this is what it is like now, what the hell is it going to be like when this ludicrous, unnecessary venture in the NHS gets under way.

Do people have to die before the people of this country wake up and see what this TORY government is doing to our country?

Please Visit here for information.

Department of Health

Members of the public are being urged to check whether they should have the flu jab this winter.
This winter, the H1N1 strain of the flu virus is one of three strains of flu that the seasonal flu jab protects against. H1N1 is the same strain of flu behind last year's swine flu pandemic. The other two strains of flu this year's jab protects against are H3N2 and B.
H1N1 is no different from other strains of flu as regards the principles of creating a vaccine to protect against it. Its inclusion in this year’s seasonal flu jab poses no additional risk. It is included simply because it is one of the major flu strains circulating in Britain this winter.
It is recommended people have a flu jab if they:
  • are 65 or over
  • are pregnant (see below)
  • have a serious medical condition
  • live in a residential or nursing home
  • are the main carer for an elderly or disabled person whose welfare may be at risk if they fall ill
  • are a healthcare or social care professional directly involved in patient care
  • work with poultry
This year (2010/2011), it is recommended that pregnant women not in the high-risk groups who have not previously been vaccinated against H1N1 flu have the seasonal flu jab.
If they are the parent of a child (over six months) with a long-term condition, they should speak with their GP about the flu jab. A child's condition may get worse if they catch flu.
If someone is the carer of an elderly or disabled person, they should make sure sure they have had their flu jab.

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