Dr Brian Dunn, Chairman of the BMA’s Northern Ireland General Practitioner Committee has responded “with disappointment” to yesterday’s comments about the H1N1 vaccination programme that have been made by Mr John Compton, Chief Executive of the Health and Social Care Board.

Dr Brian Dunn, a general practitioner in Larne tonight said,

“GPs are incredibly disappointed at the comments made by Mr Compton, who is Chief Executive of the body that has been asked by DHSSPS to approach GPs to negotiate a local, Northern Ireland, solution to the under fives swine flu vaccination phase.

“Either Mr Compton does not understand the situation or he is deliberately misleading the public. “The breakdown in negotiations regarding this phase of the H1N1 vaccination programme was not over money. It was about the desire of GPs to be able to continue their normal clinical work to look after all patients, in the midst of delivering swine flu vaccinations.

“Northern Ireland GPs do not want more money than what was offered.

“What GP negotiators have consistently asked for is a reduction in the bureaucracy associated with their contract to allow them to cope with this vaccination programme in addition to their ongoing work, without harming patient safety and other aspects of medical care”.

Dr Dunn concluded,

“It is interesting that Mr Compton’s Board is the body tasked now with the delivery of this phase of the vaccination programme. NIGPC presumes by his comments that he has organised an alternative programme that will not be delivered by GPs”.

Source: The British Medical Association