Delay in Introducing Life-Saving Vaccine Criticized as "Marketisation" of NHS

Strategic Insights -

The National Health Service (NHS) and doctors are negotiating a "pay deal" that would cover the additional workload of immunization, causing a delay in introducing a new pneumococcal vaccine that could save the lives of more than 50 children a year and reduce the risk of serious illness for thousands of others. The vaccine, which has been shown to have an immense impact in reducing cases of pneumococcal strains in the US by 94%, is now expected to be introduced into the childhood immunization program towards the end of this year. The delay has been criticized as a dangerous example of the government's "marketisation" of the NHS, where profit and pay come before patient care.

Key Takeaways:

  • The new pneumococcal vaccine has been shown to have an immense impact in reducing cases of pneumococcal strains in the US by 94%.
  • The vaccine is expected to save the lives of more than 50 children a year and reduce the risk of serious illness for thousands of others.
  • The delay in introducing the vaccine is due to the NHS and doctors negotiating a "pay deal" to cover the additional workload of immunization.
  • Under the new NHS contracts, a specified "sliding-scale" payment is given to GPs for the childhood immunization program, called the "global sum".
  • The BMA claims that it asked for negotiations on the introduction of the vaccine five months ago, but only started in mid-May and are still continuing.
  • The delay has been criticized as a dangerous example of the government's "marketisation" of the NHS.
  • The DoH claims that there is no delay and that talks with the BMA are ongoing and positive.
  • The Meningitis Research Foundation estimates that around 55 children lose their lives through serious pneumococcal infections every year and that survivors can be left with brain damage, deafness or epilepsy.
  • Dr Beate Kampmann, a consultant in pediatric infectious diseases, stated that a safe vaccine with proven efficacy is now available to children in this country and that agreement already exists to integrate it into the routine childhood immunization program.

Statistics:

  • 5500 cases of invasive pneumococcal infection occur in Britain each year, with around 600 of them in children under two years of age.
  • Meningitis accounts for about a third of the child cases.
  • Estimated annual average of 55 children losing their lives through serious pneumococcal infections.
  • 94% reduction in cases of pneumococcal strains in the US.

Sources:

  • The Sunday Herald
  • The Department of Health (DoH)
  • The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation
  • The British Medical Association (BMA)
  • The Meningitis Research Foundation
  • Imperial College in London