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‘Not enough distribution points to give out Tamiflu’
Anna Davis Health Reporter and Peter Dominiczak24.07.09
Thousands of swine flu patients will be left without medication because there are not enough Tamiflu distribution centres in the capital, the Government was warned today.
Ten London Primary Care Trusts have set up just one anti-viral collection point each to serve their populations.
One small pharmacy in central London is the only collection centre for the City, where 300,000 people travel to work every day — and it closes at 6pm.
The sole health centre that supplies medication in Bromley is closed at weekends, while people in Sutton have only one pharmacy to go to.
“Flu friends” attempting to pick up Tamiflu for sufferers have found distribution centres closed, while one “24-hour” service in Kensington and Chelsea shut at 10pm last night.
Another patient was turned away from a distribution centre in Ealing for being one minute late.
Liberal Democrat health spokesman Norman Lamb said: “The distribution of these centres looks totally random, We are told it has been thought through carefully but it doesn't look like it.
“We are told it is vital to get access to Tamiflu easily, so we must make sure the access points make sense. It seems bizarre to have lots in one borough and little coverage elsewhere.”
Geoff Martin, of London Health Emergency, said: “This is an absolute lottery. Some PCTs seem to have done the bare minimum and they should be put under pressure to open more centres, otherwise there will be chaos.
“How could such a patchy system have been allowed to develop? Thousands of people are not going to be able to get these drugs at weekends.”
The names of London's distribution centres were made public online at 3pm yesterday — minutes before the NHS website crashed. Southwark, Richmond, Merton, Kensington and Chelsea, Hackney, Ealing and Westminster also only have one distribution centre each.
A spokesman for NHS London said every PCT in London is required to set up at least one centre. He added: “When deciding where they should be located PCTs should look at how the population is dispersed, the local transport links and the previous demand for Tamiflu in pharmacies and GP surgeries.
“Primary Care Trusts understand their own residents better than anyone else. They will keep assessing the situation and we might see more centres.”
But in one incident yesterday, Caroline Robinson, 38, rushed from her job in Ashford in Middlesex to pick up a prescription for her sister at Ealing's only collection point, but arrived too late. Her sister had been told it would be open until 10pm, but it closed at 8pm.
She said: “It's been incredibly stressful. The centre has to stay open later.”
Another woman said: “We live so far away. The traffic was awful and we were just one minute late.
“What am I going to do now? My whole family is infected and we're not going to be able to get any medicine. It's not fair.”
Barkers Chemist in Merton is the only collection point for that area. Manager Dinesh Patel said: “People in the area are incredibly anxious. The was a big increase in people coming to us as soon as the website was up. Hopefully the mad rush will even out.”
There was also confusion at the St Charles Hospital centre in Kensington and Chelsea. It was supposed to be open 24 hours a day but residents found it closed at 10pm last night. A member of staff said that the centre would be open around the clock from today.
The manager of the City's only collection point in Goswell Road said his pharmacy had been “inundated”.
Government Chief Medical Officer Sir Liam Donaldson today said the flu website crashed only because so many people were “curious”.
Using the helpline
Patients can get Tamiflu by calling the National Pandemic Flu Service on 0800 1 513 100, or by clicking here.
They will be asked a series of questions by call centre staff to check they are suffering from swine flu. If they are found to have the virus the patient will be given an authentication code which they can use to get hold of a course of Tamiflu. A list of Tamiflu distribution centres is also available on the website.
People with swine flu symptoms are advised not to go to the distribution centres to pick up their own medication. Instead, they should find a “flu friend” who is well, pass them the authentication code and ask them to pick up the medication on their behalf.
The new flu service is designed to take the pressure off GP surgeries and NHS Direct.
Reader views (19)
Here is a letter I sent to our President. Maybe you should send one to your PM and copy President Obama as well.
Dear Mr. President and Directors of the FDA,
This short message is being sent via your Washington DC website from myself and other concerned Americans. As you are well aware, we are in the midst of an upcoming flu season being recognized worldwide as a seasonal virus complicated with the H1N1 virus. Although the WHO and CDC are working feverously to meet the populations needs for a flu injection that would help save many lives across the globe, we are being told by the vaccine manufacturers that there is little hope of meeting these demands sufficiently. One option open to these manufacturers is the use of Adjuvant to increase the yields of vaccines that pass efficacy tests. Unfortunately it appears that those manufacturers who the HHS and FDA have identified as approved sources may be using an “Oil and Water” or Aluminum base adjuvant which has historically had adverse complications tied to them. Reports of side effects of this adjuvant type can be retrieved from the Department of the Army records, as they would relate to the “Gulf War” returning forces who have been injected. Other tests proved that these would also accelerate the complication of Rheumatoid Arthritis in young and old. I urge you and your staff at the FDA to revisit the product Ampligen as a safe alternative since many reports are available for review with positive responses in humans.
- Vince Cap, USA
Please note you could go round to Gorden's house for some Tamiflu, I am sure he has lots in the cupboard for him and his family. Like always that man just looks after himself. How many houses has he got?
- Martha, London
Totally expected! Our Labour government is so consistent. A remarkable (non) achievement! AGAIN.
- Kevin, Chalfont St Giles, UK
we are victims of this scaremongering media...
- Erika, barcelona,spain
Dont you find it amazing, that given the prior warning of the pandemic, the Government has completely mis-managed it, as they to with everything they put their fingers in.
And the whole thing is hyped too.
- Tom Watson, London
It's not just London with a totally inadequate distribution system. If you live in a rural area like ours you have to travel up to 40 miles round trip to get this. Rural practices don't dispense the stuff, despite dispensing everything else. We don't have pharmacies of any description out here.
- Mal, lincolnshire uk
I shouldn't travel if I were you; they are arresting people in India, China, Malaysia for the "crime" of having possibly contracted the man-made virus Baxter have released, commonly known as "swine flu". Swine flu is man-made and is being deliberately spread by the pharma industry.
- Neil, London, London UK
My partner's had swineflu, and luckily I didnt catch it Feel the media is hyping it up which is doing my head in. I am sad for all those that have died from swine flu and i sympathise with their families.
There's a great website where you can upload your stories/experiences/videos which was set up by someone who survived it!! Check it out - www.ivegotswineflue.com
Cheers, Teni
- Teni, London
Just rushing to flog us Rumsfeld-flu before the date expires.
The whole thing stinks.
It hasn't even been tested so why even consider it as a cure.
- John Smith, London , England
Weren;t we told about 2 months ago that Britain was ready for any possible outbreak?
- Josh, London
Tamiflu is NOT a vaccine (please check this out yourself). It is also known to be of little benefit apart from alleviating symptoms. Check out the Cochrane Library (http://mrw.interscience.wiley.com/cochrane/clsysrev/articles/CD001265/frame.html)peer review of NI's (Neuraminidase inhibitors which Tamiflu is but one).
Odd that there is a huge stockpile of Tamiflu with a limited shlef-life. Perhaps it is just me but this whole thing has a certain odour about it...
- James, Spain
NICE ONE DAVE!
Rubbish,our MPs have told us everything is under control.Would they lie to us?.
- Dave, london
- Steve, Brentford
According to many reports Tamilflu makes one feel worse.. Why is the Government promoting this hysteria, when it appears normal flu is just as, or more deadly
- Alan Green, Woodford Green
Rubbish,our MPs have told us everything is under control.Would they lie to us?.
- Dave, london
Is this another way of the authorities saying "oops didn't order enough Tamiflu?"
- Steve, Brentford
They tell you to bring the authorisation code but they don't tell you you need the person ID that you are collecting for. Just had a wasted trip as I had no ID for my friend!
- Marie, Portsmouth uk
There are two reasons not to take Tamilflu. The first is that Donald Rumsfeld will benefit financially and the second is that there is a strong possibility it might do you harm in the long term. So if you can't get it be thankful.
- Maggie, Croydon, London
Just put some perspective on this "Pandemic", please!!!!
An average of 20 people a day die from flu related illness in the UK. In Winter that can rise to over 100 in any 24 hour period. It seems to me that (and I don't pretend to know what)something else is motivating the Government in pursuing this course of "Fear Enrichment".
Also,bear in mind that in the UK,One person dies every 51 seconds.check breathingearth.net out for that particular fact. So stop worrying and get on with living.
- Alan, Romney Marsh UK
How can the so-called ministers (who look and sound like local councillor dweebs, not parliamentarians) say thhey have things under control when the UK clearly can't cope - all out of their depth! Pathetic - let's get rid now
- David, soton
