A new Swine Flu Helpline will be up and running soon according to The Department of Health.
Today the Health Secretary Andy Burnham said:
“From the end of next week, the National Pandemic Flu Service in England will be up and running to provide additional support to the NHS. The NHS is continuing to cope well thanks to the sterling effort of its staff, but as swine flu cases begin to increase we need to be able to give antivirals to greater numbers of people quickly.
“The Flu service will be able to quickly diagnose people with swine flu and give them the opportunity to get antivirals from local centres, meaning in turn that GPs’ time will be freed up enabling them to deal with other illnesses.
“Cases of swine flu in the UK have so far proved to be generally mild in most people, but have been severe in a small minority of cases. I want the public to be reassured that we have been preparing for the possibility of a pandemic for a number of years and all that pre-planning is now paying dividends."
The UK is one of the most prepared countries in the world and the Government and NHS have been planning for a pandemic for a number of years. It is important to remember that for the majority of people, swine flu remains a relatively mild illness. However, a small minority of people have developed more severe symptoms and sadly some individuals have died.
Everyone who has the virus will be offered antivirals if they need them.
The advice is that even if you have taken antivirals and have no underlying health conditions, if your symptoms get worse you should call your GP immediately. The majority of people will recover from swine flu without the need for antivirals and may therefore choose not to seek treatment.
There are simple steps that everyone can take to help prevent catching colds and flu based on good respiratory and hand hygiene. Always use a tissue to catch your sneezes, throw away used tissues where germs can linger and regularly wash your hands.National Pandemic Flu ServiceThe number of cases of swine flu is rising rapidly. The NHS is coping well but they need to be able to give antivirals to increasing numbers of people quickly.
It is for that reason that The NHS are planning on having the National Pandemic Flu Service up and running in England from the last week of July.
The National Pandemic Flu Service will consist of a dedicated website and call centres and the Service will be able to quickly tell you if you have swine flu.
If you do, you will be given an authorisation number that a ‘flu friend’ – a friend or relative who does not have swine flu – can use to pick up your antivirals from one of your local antiviral collection points.
It is particularly important for people with chronic lung, kidney or heart disease, under fives, over 65s and pregnant women to use the new service as soon as they have symptoms and to keep in touch with their GP.
Parents with children under one year should call their GP if their child has symptoms as soon as possible.
From the beginning, the Government have said that it was likely the UK would reach a point where cases of swine flu would become widespread across the country and that they would need to activate the National Pandemic Flu Service to give patients access to antivirals as quickly as possible. This new service will free up GP’s, enabling them to deal with other illnesses that need their urgent attention.
Until the National Pandemic Flu Service is in place, if you think you or anyone in your family has swine flu, to avoid spreading the virus, do not go to A&E and do not go to your doctor’s surgery. Go online and check your symptoms on www.nhs.uk or call the swine flu information line on 0800 1513 513. If you still think you have swine flu call your GP.
 Scotland and Wales do not yet need to switch on their National Pandemic Flu Service. This situation is being kept under constant review and the Service can be opted into if needed.
People in Scotland who are worried about flu-like symptoms should continue to contact their GP or NHS 24 on 08454 24 24 24.
In Wales, if symptoms are causing concern, or people are in an at risk group such as those with heart and lung disease, children under 5 or pregnant women, they should phone NHS Direct on 0845 46 47 or phone their GP.
People in Northern Ireland who are worried about flu-like symptoms should stay at home and continue to contact their GP or the Northern Ireland helpline on 0800 0514 142 which operates daily from 8am-8pm.Frequently Asked Swine Flu QuestionsQ. Is it true that 65,000 people will die in this pandemic?
A. No. The 65,000 figure represents a ‘reasonable worst case’ scenario. It is not a prediction and we do not expect this many deaths but we are asking the NHS to prepare for it.
Q. When will there be a Vaccine?
A. The manufacturers have said that they will be delivering the first supplies of the vaccine at the end of August. There will be enough vaccine for the whole population once it has been developed. These contracts were set up some time ago to ensure we are first in the queue.
Q. When will it be ready to vaccinate people?
A. It's too early to say. The Department of Health needs to ensure the vaccine has been through the proper licensing process before it can be used. The licensing process and timetable is a matter for the regulator so we can't say exactly how long this will take. The Department of Health takes decisions about introducing a new vaccine very seriously and want to be sure that all the relevant issues are reviewed by independent scientific experts as the licensed vaccine becomes available.
Q. Who will The Department of Health vaccinate first?
A. We have not yet taken a final decision on the prioritisation of the population. This will be made on the basis of epidemiological evidence, vaccine supply and protecting the capacity of the NHS.
July 17 2009
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