National Pandemic Flu Service to be shut

29th January 2010 - Six months after the National Pandemic Flu Service (NPFS) swung into action, the government has announced that it’s to be closed.

The NPFS was set up in the wake of the first wave of swine flu. It allows people who think they have swine flu to have their symptoms diagnosed online or by ringing a 24-hour freephone number. Those who are thought to have swine flu are given an authorisation number so that they - or a “flu friend” - can collect antivirals from an authorised collection point.

However, with the number of new cases of H1N1 continuing to fall, the Chief Medical Officer, Professor Sir Liam Donaldson, has announced that the service will be shut at 1am on the 11th February.

However, Sir Liam is warning that swine flu may return during the 2010 season in a more severe form and is appealing to people invited for vaccination to roll up their sleeves.

Falling infection rates

The NPFS was set up in England on the 23rd July 2009 during the first phase of the H1N1 pandemic. It was designed to take the pressure off GPs and other frontline healthcare workers.

In a letter to doctors, Sir Liam says that although deaths from swine flu continue to occur “It is now clear that mortality from H1N1 (2009) influenza overall has been lower than in previous pandemics and in some ‘flu seasons.” He adds that the decision to close the NPFS has been taken because “indicators now show that NHS pressures from influenza like illness and confirmed pandemic H1N1 (2009) influenza infections are less than half what they were two weeks prior to the NPFS being switched on”.

Sir Liam says that the service can be restored in seven days should it be needed.

From the 11th February antivirals will only be authorised by a doctor issuing the appropriate paperwork. Patients will then be entitled to obtain antivirals free of charge. Antiviral collection points will continue to function until the end of the current ‘flu season (the end of March 2010).