Flu drug distribution in chaos as patients ignore rules

A new way of distributing swine flu drugs is causing confusion and rule breaking, it was claimed today.

Patients at London's first NHS Tamiflu distribution centre have already admitted ignoring government advice to get their hands on the medication.

And hundreds of people are buying the drug on the internet because they do not trust the new system, experts have claimed.

By the end of the week every area in the country must set up a distribution centre, where people can pick up Tamiflu for friends with swine flu.

But at the first centre, which has opened in Tower Hamlets, confusion is mounting over who is allowed access to it.

Patients must telephone their doctors before arriving at the specialist clinic, near Mile End Hospital.

But many are unaware of the advice, or are going to the clinic anyway in the hope of collecting Tamiflu tablets.

Some of those who visited told the Standard other hospitals had even told them to come to the clinic.

A website and phone line, manned by non-medically trained staff, will be set up to take pressure off GPs by the end of the week. But patients using the Tower Hamlets centre said they are bypassing their doctors.

Ash Inam, 27, from Tower Hamlets, said: "I do have a GP but they are a pain. You call them and they say only come after four days. So I went to a walk-in centre, and they said go to the distribution centre."

Meanwhile, internet sales of Tamiflu are booming. The head of one online pharmacy said there has been a massive surge in internet Tamiflu orders because people do not believe they will be able to get their hands on stocks.

Robert Mackay of theonlineclinic.co.uk said he sold 200 packs of Tamiflu at £120 each over the weekend.

Mr Mackay said: "Members of the public are contacting us for Tamiflu in unprecedented numbers. They are aware it's free on the NHS but are prepared to pay a premium because they don't trust the NHS to get it to them."

Many patients said they had been directed to the collection point by staff at a nearby NHS walk-in centre.

One, a 20-year-old photographer from Spain, wearing a face-mask, said he had been refused drugs at the clinic because he had not spoken to his GP.

He said: "I've been ill for a week and a half, and I went to the hospital walk-in centre to try to get Tamiflu. But they told us about this place, gave us a map and told us to come here. But they just took my temperature and asked questions, and said I must speak to my GP."

Abdul Rauf, 72, said he was told by his doctor to come to the clinic, despite widespread advice telling those who fear they are ill to stay at home.

He said: "I fell ill last night. I phoned my GP and he told me to come here for a check-up." A Tower Hamlets NHS Trust spokesman said: ''Our advice is to call your GP [before arrival], but we don't turn people away."

A spokesman for the Department of Health urged members of the public not to buy Tamiflu online.

He said: "The Government has a stockpile of antivirals sufficient to treat all those who would become ill, so private stockpiling is unnecessary."