Large regional variation in number of antiviral collection points

Stephen O’Brien, the Shadow Health Minister, has questioned the Government’s handling of swine flu after data from the Department of Health revealed widespread regional variation in the number of antiviral collection points.

An analysis of the points where members of the public can pick up drugs to combat swine flu shows that in forty-seven Primary Care Trusts there is only one collection point – and in eight, there is no evidence of any collection points.

In contrast, ten Primary Care Trusts have more than thirty.

Stephen O’Brien said, “These figures are a genuine and fair concern and raise further questions about the Government’s handling of swine flu.”

He warned that the number of collection points available in many areas “still seems surprisingly low.”

And he stressed, “If there are areas with too few collection points, then the Government must take urgent action to open more so that people suffering from swine flu can get the antivirals they need.”