By Alan Richardson

ANOTHER TAYSIDE flu vaccine surgery had to be postponed after running out of stocks at the weekend.

Disgusted patients turned up to St Margaret’s Hospital in Auchterarder for the annual clinic, to be faced with a notice saying it had been put off “until further notice” due to a vaccine shortage.

The Scottish Executive last week denied there is a national shortage of the potentially life-saving vaccine after Taymount Surgery in Perth ran out.

But statistics provided by NHS Tayside yesterday showed the area has had far less stock delivered than the amount claimed nationally by the Executive, and it could be next month before orders finally arrive.

Auchterarder patient, Jim Simpson said last week’s events in his hometown gave the lie to the Executive’s claims.

He said, “The clinic runs over two weekends, with the first half of the alphabet on the first weekend and the second due to be done this past weekend.

“We received a notice during the week saying the clinic had been cancelled until further notice due to the the supply of the vaccine not being available from the manufacturer.

“It does seem there is some sort of problem and you just wonder if the Scottish Executive is just telling people what they want to hear.”

Another woman who contacted The Courier said she had had no notice of the cancellation and made the 14-mile round trip for nothing.

She said, “It’s a disgraceful situation where winter is setting in and we’ve not been told when we will get vaccinated. It’s a worry.”

Dr James Grant of the hospital health centre said local practitioners’ hands are tied until orders are delivered.

He said, “There has been a shortage this year and that is not just in Auchterarder, but in many practices across Perthshire.

“This has been pointed out very strongly to the health board and we’re waiting to hear what will be done about it. We would like to think it will never happen again. Like all practices, we want to immunise as quickly as possible because we don’t know when the flu will strike. The sooner it is done the better.

“We will have to wait until we get the vaccine and hopefully our representations to the board will mean the supply to the public might be done sooner than the beginning of December, which is not a great idea for many of our older patients.”

Consultant in public health medicine at NHS Tayside, Dr Julie Cavanagh, said, “NHS Tayside has, to date, received more than 40% of its total order for flu vaccine. This has been distributed to practices.

“We have been informed that the remainder of the vaccine will be available at the end of November and early in December. Patients can expect to be contacted by their practices, when the vaccines are delivered.

“National surveillance of flu infections indicates that the circulating level of influenza is currently very low,” she added.

Last week, a spokesman for the Scottish Executive denied there was any national shortage, claiming over 60% of supplies have been delivered to GP practices.

But there has been anger that high street chemists and supermarket pharmacies are able to sell the vaccine privately for less than £20.