[jambutty]

It has been reported on the wireless today that patients may have to wait for their flu vaccine this autumn because of ‘manufacturing’ problems. Strange how it is this year that there are ‘manufacturing’ problems just when many health authorities are in debt and striving hard to balance the books.

Doctors have been told to prioritise – that is only inoculate those people with heart and chest conditions.

Yep! I know! I’m an old cynic but if the manufacturers won’t be able to supply as much vaccine as they did in previous years the cost to the NHS will be reduced and thus it will save money. The fact that some vulnerable people will not be protected seems to have escaped their notice and of course the GP will bear the brunt of the problem. GP’s are going to be forced to play God as they decide if he should be vaccinated or her or neither in favour of someone else. If someone is vulnerable because of a flu infection then the vaccine should be available.

It has also been reported today that some 80% of nurses and other health professionals who qualify this year will not be able to find a job. Guess what the reason is. In order to try and address budget deficits hospitals are not recruiting new staff.

The Department of Health has countered the allegations with a lame: “jobs exist for newly qualified nurses but they need to be flexible on location.” That is government speak for if there isn’t a job locally you will have to move to where there is a job. If hospitals stopped using temps at enormous fees and thus lining the pockets of the agencies supplying them there would be enough money to take on regular nurses on a permanent basis.

Throw into the cutback cauldron the situation facing the Blackburn and Burnley hospitals (two of many I suspect) and you have a massive drive to reduce the NHS to a bar bones facility. Or put another way massive cutbacks by the back door.