A MARSH mum has spoken of the wait to access a flu jab for her asthmatic daughter.
Katy Reiter was told by the Lindley Group Practice a fortnight ago that there was no supply of the new vaccine, which combats the latest strains of influenza.
As an asthmatic, her six-year-old daughter Grace was in one of the “at-risk” groups which should be given the vaccine.
The practice did have supplies of the 2009 swine flu vaccine but their hands were tied as they waited for approval to issue it from the Department of Health.
Mrs Reiter said parents across the country were receiving mixed messages, which stressed the importance of the jab for those in the at-risk groups at a time when they could not access it.
She said: “We were advised that as an asthmatic Grace should have the jab.
“I rang up a couple of weeks ago and it was simply a case that they didn’t have any.
“The practice is excellent and I understood that it wasn’t their fault.
“We were told that they were waiting for the Department of Health to tell them that they could use the old 2009 swine flu vaccine.
“I was very worried so I even rang around a few private clinics to see if I could pay for it but none of them would do it.
“Even if I paid for the vaccine myself and took it to a GP they wouldn’t do it because they couldn’t guarantee it had been stored at the right temperature.
“They’ve now got the go ahead to use the older, Pandemrix vaccine and Grace can have her jab on Monday.
“It’s a worrying time because Grace has been hospitalised in the past and has needed oxygen.”
NHS Kirklees does not comment on individual GP practices.
This week the trust said the system to order Pandemrix had gone live giving GPs the chance to access it.
They added that those most heavily affected by the flu were in the at risk groups, and the guidance from the NHS indicated that there was no scientific basis for routinely vaccinating those under five.
