NHS bosses urged GPs to purchase a CHEAPER flu jab that doesn't protect against deadly 'Japanese flu', leaked files reveal

  • A regional NHS England team advised doctors to purchase the trivalent jab 
  • This jab offers no protection against the B Yamagata strain, or 'Japanese flu'
  • They said buying the quadrivalent jab would add 'significant cost pressures' 
  • The vaccine costs the NHS £2.75 more per dose but it would have helped
  • Doctors fear the decision may have fueled the severity of this year's outbreak

Health chiefs ordered GPs to order cheap flu vaccines which are ineffective against the strain of flu causing most havoc in the UK, leaked files show.

NHS England asked doctors to purchase the trivalent jab - which offers no protection against the B Yamagata strain, referred to as 'Japanese flu'.

In guidance sent to local bosses, they warned that buying the quadrivalent jab would add 'significant cost pressures' amid concerns over funding.

The vaccine costs the NHS £2.75 more per dose, but it would have protected against Japanese flu - responsible for half of flu hospitalisations this winter.

Doctors fear the controversial decision may have fueled the severity of this year's outbreak, considered one of the worst to hit the UK in recent decades.

The known death toll across the home nations currently sits at 97 - but is likely to be much higher. More fatalities are expected in the coming weeks.

Thousands have been left hospitalised by flu - with nearly half caused by Japanese flu and a fifth from H3N2 - commonly referred to as 'Aussie flu'.

NHS England asked doctors to purchase the trivalent jab - which offers no protection against the B Yamagata strain, referred to as 'Japanese flu' (stock)

NHS England asked doctors to purchase the trivalent jab - which offers no protection against the B Yamagata strain, referred to as 'Japanese flu' (stock)

Nick Scriven, president of the Society of Acute Medicine, told HSJ: 'Not using the quadrivalent vaccine has increased the risk of flu admissions [this year].

'Half of the flu cases we are getting are the A strain, half are the B. It’s probably about half the cases that are coming into hospital that may have been prevented.'

It comes after private GPs were yesterday accused of cashing in on the flu crisis by charging £45 for a vaccine that costs the NHS just £8.

And just two weeks after health chiefs admitted the current flu jab is ineffective for over-75s and ordered doctors to switch to a new version next winter.

Latest figures show that the flu outbreak in the UK shows no signs of letting up, with cases rocketing by 35 per cent in a week.

Projections also state the four home nations are on the brink of an epidemic in the coming few weeks, with Scotland being hit the hardest. 

The most recent in-depth breakdown shows 1,938 people have been hospitalised by the flu in England so far this winter. 

WHAT FLU STRAINS ARE IN THE UK? 

There are many different types of flu circulating around the world, but four main types are being seen in Britain this winter.

H3N2 - Dubbed ‘Aussie flu’ after it struck Australia hard last winter, this strain is more likely to affect the elderly, who do not respond well to the current vaccine. This is one of the most common strains seen so far this winter, with 63 confirmed cases seen in official laboratories.

H1N1 - This strain – known as ‘swine flu’ - is generally more likely to hit children, who respond well to vaccination. This has been seen nearly as often as H3N2 so far this year, with 50 cases confirmed in labs. In the past it was only commonly caught from pigs, but that changed in 2009 when it started spreading rapidly among humans in a major global pandemic.

B / Yamagata - This is known as 'Japanese flu'. Only people who received the ‘four strain’ vaccine - which is being slowly rolled out after it was introduced for the first time this winter - are protected against the Yamagata strain. Those who received the normal ‘three strain’ vaccine are not protected, and it has been seen in 63 lab cases so far this winter.

B / Victoria - This strain is vaccinated against in the normal ‘three strain’ vaccine, but has hardly appeared so far this winter, with just four confirmed cases.

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Some 199 were caused by H1N1, which triggered the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic that killed 50 million. 

A further 448 strains of influenza A were unidentified while 432 have been caused by H3N2, which rocked Australia during the country's winter.

The remaining 859 cases were caused by strains of influenza B, including 'Japanese flu', which usually produces less side effects, according to PHE data.

The HSJ investigation suggests a large chunk of those latter cases could have been avoided had GPs been advised to purchase the quadrivalent jab. 

One NHS England regional team, which is responsible for commissioning advice in its area, urged GPs to choose trivalent vaccines for this winter's flu season.

The advice was seen in documents from last year sent to three CCGs, responsible for commissioning services, that were obtained by HSJ.

Trivalent vaccines protect against two influenza A strains, H1N1 and H3N2, and one influenza B strain - but not Yamagata. Doses are believed to cost the NHS £5.25.

The quadrivalent flu vaccine protects against the same strains the trivalent vaccine does, as well as the extra influenza B virus. Doses are believed to cost the NHS £8.

Figures show 11 million people deemed at risk, including pregnant women, the over-65s and children under the age of two, received the flu jab in 2016. 

NHS England South was shown to have emphasised the 'cost effectiveness' of the trivalent vaccine in governing body papers published by West Kent CCG.

The document read: 'The quadrivalent vaccine is "preferable" all things being equal, but it is not mandated for the adult programme.

'The quadrivalent vaccine has a higher cost than the trivalent vaccine and this would add significant cost pressures to the prescribing budget across the South East.'

MOTHER'S HEARTACHE AS HER 18-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER DIES FROM FLU 

An 18-year-old girl has become the tragic victim of the flu, her heartbroken mother has revealed.

Bethany Walker, from Applecross, died after taking ill at home - initially from flu symptoms which later developed into pneumonia.

Miss Walker was airlifted to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness but died later last Friday. Tributes have poured in on social media.

Bethany Walker, from Applecross, died after taking ill at home - initially from flu symptoms which later developed into pneumonia

Bethany Walker, from Applecross, died after taking ill at home - initially from flu symptoms which later developed into pneumonia

Her mother Heather Teale wrote on Facebook: 'My beautiful Daughter Bethany Walker was taken from me yesterday (Jan 5). 

'She had been suffering from a flu virus, which became pneumonia.

'She was airlifted to Raigmore with me by her side yesterday morning (Jan 5), where she rapidly deteriorated.

'The staff in Intensive Care could not have done more, she was given the best possible treatment from a team of eight people for over two hours, they tried everything possible but sadly despite their best efforts she didn't make it.'

She added: 'I am broken, the bottom has fallen out of my world. I have my mum with me, and my wonderful son Danny Walker who are both feeling the same loss as I am.

Miss Walker was airlifted to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness but died later last Friday. Tributes have poured in on social media

Miss Walker was airlifted to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness but died later last Friday. Tributes have poured in on social media

'Life will never be the same again. Bethany, I love you to the moon and back, I always have and I always will, you were the best daughter I could have ever wished for and I will always be the proudest mum in the world. 

'I have no more words. I'm truly devastated. Sleep tight my beautiful girl, your brother and I will love you forever, you will never be out of my thoughts as long as I live.'

Among those paying his respects was TV adventurer Monty Halls, who lived on the Applecross peninsula in 2008 for his Great Escapes series.

He wrote: 'Heather, I am so, so sorry to hear this news - it is beyond comprehension. Words seem so completely inadequate. 

'Every member of the film crew for Great Escapes remembers her so fondly, a total delight. 

'My deepest condolences to you, and your family. I know the entire team send their best wishes, their thoughts, and their love. Monty xxx'

The Applecross Inn Facebook also paid its own special tribute: 'Farewell to dear Bethany another fantastic member of our team who we sadly lost last Friday after a short illness, you were the 'belle of the ball' at Hogmanay......and indeed everywhere.

'Such a tragic loss of someone so perfect in every way, so polite, such beauty, humour, fun, music and studies.

'You were pure pleasure as an employee.....loved by every member of our team, so much devotion and dedication to all you did.'

Miss Walker wanted to study midwifery and was due to head for Aberdeen University later this year.

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It said chiefs 'should select the product with the lowest purchase price to the NHS and not purchase the quadrivalent vaccine for adults'.

The HSJ investigation found the same was published by Barking and Dagenham, Havering and Redbridge CCGs and North Hampshire CCG. 

Papers from nine separate CCGs show NHS regional teams also advised GPs not to order the more expensive vaccine.

NHS England told the website it had not sent out any national advice to GPs, as regional teams have the final say on what instructions are dished out.   

The flu vaccine is available on the NHS for over-65s, children between two to eight, pregnant women and patients with long-term conditions.  

Some patients entitled to an NHS jab have decided to pay privately for the more powerful four-strain vaccine amid fears the trivalent is ineffective. 

Several Boots stores in the Midlands, East Anglia, South and South West said they had run out of the flu jab at the weekend.  

WHERE IS BEING HIT THE WORST?

Currently, Scotland is reporting the highest number of GP consultations for flu in the UK - rising from 46.3 per 100,000 people to 107.2 per 100,000 people.

This is more than double the amount in Northern Ireland (52.6) and almost triple that of Wales (38.9). In contrast, England’s rate is 37.3.

Officials class an outbreak as reaching epidemic levels when flu-like symptoms being reported in GP consultations hit a certain rate.

Each of the home nations has a different level, with England's being set at 109 cases per 100,000 people. In Scotland it is 419, Northern Ireland 142 and Wales 75.

Between the last week of December, dubbed 51, and the first week of January, dubbed one, England saw a 77 per cent jump in flu symptoms.

Using this percentage, MailOnline predicted that England will reach epidemic levels by week three - before the end of January.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland all saw jumps of between 131 and 132 per cent in flu symptoms. These figures were used for their projections.

Scotland and Northern Ireland will hit epidemic levels at the same time as England. Wales will reach its epidemic threshold by next week, if current trends continue. 

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