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Doctors 'too busy to tackle measles crisis' Measles spread but NHS 'is tied up by reforms'
Anna Davis22.10.08
SWEEPING health reforms could be distracting doctors from the measles epidemic hitting the capital.
NHS staff implementing changes, including polyclinics, are too busy to think up strategies to beat the disease, a London Assembly member said today.
Health chiefs are to be quizzed today on the epidemic hitting parts of the capital. Less than half of London's five-year-olds have been vaccinated.
James Cleverly, chairman of the assembly's health and public services committee, added: "With the Darzi report being forced through doctors are in a state of flux."
Reader views (3)
Blame must lie with our newspapers with their successful campaign to frighten people into not having their children immunised with the MMR - DESPITE WARNINGS FROM DOCTORS. The ant-MMR campaign was supported by our
Conservative party !
- Brian, Somerset, Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset
Can anyone say. "Too many immigrants coming to the UK from countries without vaccination programmes?" (An untouched upon side of immigration so far in the commentaries).
And by the bye - it is the doctor's job to cope with infections, not to produce 'big picture' strategies to circumvent the problem in the first place. That is the job of the government (in theory).
- Rogan, Irving
This is ridiculous. Why is it the responsibility of doctors or the health service to "think up strategies to beat the disease"? Any parent in this country can walk into an NHS doctor and get their child immunised. If they're too stupid or lazy to bother, how is that the fault of the health service? People just don't realise how lucky they are here. Free health care is available to everyone, and still people whine that the government should be doing more to encourage them to use it. Crazy! Whatever happened to personal responsibility?
- Freya, London
