Chairman's Foreword
The Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Programme is a massive public health endeavour of significant complexity, reaching out to more than one million Scots, each year.
It provides the offer of substantial protection from influenza - for what at best is a nasty infection, and at worst can be a life threatening or fatal illness, placing considerable winter pressures on all sectors of the health service.
The planning and delivery of the annual Influenza Programme engages very many multi-professional staff, working at all levels of NHS Scotland and the Scottish Government Health Directorate - reflecting a common purpose and commitment. In most years, the annual influenza vaccination programme can be rightly regarded as one of the unsung success stories of NHS Scotland. However, vaccine shortages and delays in the delivery of the programme have arisen in the recent past, which prompted the Aldridge Review of the Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Programme in Scotland.
The purpose of this report is to provide advice to the Scottish Government to implement the findings of the Aldridge Review. In order to promote progress, we make a number of recommendations, including: measures to minimise the impact of vaccine shortages and delays; an enhanced national publicity campaign; improved targeting of at-risk groups; the development of Best Practice guidance; more resilient management and governance arrangements at national and local levels; and for better communications, both within the service and with the people of Scotland.
I am particularly grateful for all those who have contributed generously and unstintingly to the preparation of this report - please refer separately to the Acknowledgements Section. It has been made available as both a Summary Report - this version - and as a more detailed Full Report, for background reference.
Lewis D Ritchie, Chairman of the Implementation Steering Group