The UK’s Health Security Agency has announced that it will offer a new Omicron-specific vaccine, from Moderna, to people aged over 50 as part of the latest vaccination program due to start in September. But the leaders of major GPs told the Independent that reduced funding at a time of rising costs and staff shortages makes the punch “unsustainable”. The British Medical Association (BMA) said it had “serious concerns” about how a fall in doctors offering vaccines would affect the vaccination program and called for increased funding. The contract for GPs delivering vaccines this autumn has been cut from £12.58 per dose to £10.06, while a £10 top-up to give vaccines to care homes and other vulnerable groups has also been cut. Dr Michelle Drage, chief executive for London’s local medical boards, which represent the majority of 1,200 GP practices in the capital, warned they do not have the resources to launch three major vaccination campaigns – Covid, flu and polio – at the same time. . He added: “With the current workforce crisis, there simply aren’t enough GPs and nurses to do the day-to-day work. The priority on emergency vaccinations for public health means that something will have to come between routine appointments and vaccinating several million Londoners at pace.’ Dr Preeti Shukla, head of clinical and prescribing policy for the BMA’s GP panel, said the addition of the new Moderna vaccine was great news for the fight against Covid as part of the autumn vaccine campaign to prevent a new outbreak in winter. “However, with the current well-documented pressures on GP practices and the reduction in funding to deliver these vaccines, we have serious concerns about the circulation. Payments to GPs for delivering vaccines have fallen by 20% since last year’s launch, while costs to GP practices have only skyrocketed in the meantime,” he said. “This vaccine will require freezing and refrigeration, an increasingly expensive operation as energy costs rise. Moderna’s new vaccine simply strengthens the case for returning payments to last year’s level rather than trying to offer a booster program on the cheap. “GPs, while happy to hear about a new vaccine to add to their armoury, will be wondering if the numbers add up as they face a tough autumn and winter.” As of this month, there are around 1,000 GP-led vaccine sites, 1,400 pharmacies, 128 large centers and 245 hospital centres. One head of several GP practices, covering thousands of patients, said they had to drop the autumn schedule because the costs were “unsustainable”. They said: “We’re not doing any Covid vaccines this autumn, we just can’t make the money work and we don’t have the reserves to run a big deficit at work. “The problem with lower money is that it’s less encouraging to go out and get people in the door. Poorer people and ethnicities with a distrust of state institutions need the NHS to take them in, and that doesn’t come cheap. “Costs are through the roof, utilities are extortionate and temporary and local staff are demanding more money. In 2021, during the leave, volunteer staff were easy to get, but the leave ended and they went back to work. People are sick of all the volunteering when their bills are so high. This means a greater reliance on paid staff to even do assembly work.” The primary care director also raised concerns about the sustainability of London’s polio vaccination program for children, announced by the UK’s Health Safety Agency earlier this month, which means many practices will have more than 1,000 children to vaccinate. at the same funding level of £10 per vaccine. They said the rollout announcements were a “political ploy announced by people saying ‘we’re doing something’ without actually checking the ability to do it”. It comes as leading scientist John Ball has warned that as Covid evolves, the UK could be left “like the Red Queen in Alice and the Looking Glass – having to keep running just to stay in the same place”. as he struggles to hold on. with new variations. NHS England declined to comment. The Department of Health and Social Care has been approached for comment.
