Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary and North Norfolk MP, Norman Lamb, has written to Patricia Hewitt about the failure of health trusts to take urgent action to prevent bird flu crossing over to become a human condition.
Norfolk PCT and Yarmouth and Waveney PCT, both covering areas with large poultry farms, have yet to start immunising poultry workers, despite directions by the Department of Health over three weeks ago to start the operation. Cambridgeshire PCT has reported that no immunisations have taken place as yet, with the first ones not scheduled until February 19th.
Commenting, Norman Lamb said: “It seems extraordinary that some health trusts have not started their immunisation programmes given the Government’s guidance over three weeks ago to start promptly - and that was before we had the outbreak in Suffolk."
“I have written to the Secretary of State calling for her to urgently respond to these worrying developments. Even though the risk may be remote, the potential consequences are so serious that this should be a top public health priority. We could be in danger of shutting the stable doors after the horse has bolted.
It is astonishing to think that David Milliband (boy that man loves a TV camera) can trot out the same line again and again that everything that can be done is being done, yet clearly even basic immunisations are not happening.
2 comments:
Nich, I wish the Lib Dems would stop using the word "Shadow" - only members are the largest opposition party (us!) are allowed to use that word. Use the word "Spokesman" - that's fine by me.
Betty Boothroyd made the same point shortly after the 1997 GE.
But anyone can "shadow" someone Justin. It is not a title preserved only for one party.
If the Tory "shadow" were doing his/her job, then surely they should have discovered this ?
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