HENRY COOPER NOT ENOUGH IN LONDON FLU FIGHT AS 27 PCT'S MISS TARGET

12.01.00am GMT Thu 4th Mar 2004

London is missing flu jab target

Every Primary Care Trust in London except Havering who responded to the flu vaccination uptake survey has failed to hit Minister's target of getting 7 out of ten over 65's to have the jab.

The figures revealed in Parliamentary answers to the Liberal Democrats also show that the worst five London Boroughs for flu vaccination uptake are in the capital. These are:-

FIVE PCTS WITH LOWEST UPTAKE IN ENGLAND

Primary Care Trust Flu vaccine percentage uptake for 65 and over

1 Lambeth 48.4

2 Southwark 50.1

3 Greenwich 50.7

4 Westminster 52.2

5 Hammersmith & Fulham 53.1

Simon Hughes said:

"Flu can cause serious illness and death, especially in the very young and the elderly. To protect the lives of the vulnerable during the cold months, it is vital that those who are eligible for the free immunisation do actually receive it.

"With take up rates of flu jabs so low in many London Boroughs it is clear that the advertising campaign that is headed by boxer Henry Cooper is failing to deliver a knock out blow.

"Many of the most vulnerable aren't getting the right level of protection against flu. The Government and PCT's must do more to make people aware of the dangers of flu and the protection available."

ENDS (Notes to follow…)

Notes to Editors

London Borough breakdown of Flu vaccine uptake %age uptake

Lambeth 48.4

Southwark 50.1

Greenwich 50.7

Westminster 52.2

Hammersmith and Fulham 53.1

City of London & Hackney 53.2

Lewisham 53.3

Camden 53.9

Islington 55.2

Tower Hamlets 59.2

Kensington and Chelsea 61.1

Newham 61.3

Ealing 62.3

Hillingdon 63

Hounslow 63.6

Enfield 64.1

Wandsworth 64.3

Brent 64.5

Richmond upon Thames 64.9

Bromley 66.3

Kingston upon Thames 66.3

Bexley 67

Waltham Forest 67.2

Redbridge 68

Harrow 68.3

Barking and Dagenham 69.1

Havering 71.2

Barnet unknown

Croydon unknown

Haringey unknown

Sutton & Merton unknown

§ This analysis is based on an answer to a written parliamentary question on 15 January 2004 (see Hansard, Column 857W). A copy of the breakdown referred to in this answer is faxable upon request.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the take-up rates for influenza vaccine were as at 1 December 2003 (a) in England and (b) broken down by (i) primary care trust and (ii) strategic health authority. [147184]

Miss Melanie Johnson: The overall uptake of flu vaccine in England in those aged 65 and over as at 1 December 2003 was 67.9 per cent.. A breakdown by strategic health authority and primary care trust has been placed in the Library.

• The Government's target influenza vaccine uptake rate is stated at http://www.doh.gov.uk/fluvaccinationleaflet/qa.htm.