Influenza Vaccinations

The Hon. E.S. BOURKE (14:34): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Health and Wellbeing a question about health.

Leave granted.

The Hon. E.S. BOURKE: The Immunisation Coalition chaired by Dr Rod Pearce AM has written to the minister, the Premier and the Chief Executive of SA Health regarding the uneven distribution of the over 65s flu vaccine. The correspondence says, 'asked for transparency about the actual numbers of vaccines purchased and distributed'. In relation to the uneven distribution of vaccines, the letter expressed 'enormous frustration amongst GPs'. It further said:

…there is added frustration that GPs are being told that practices can't help each other out with some redistributing of vaccines, where some practices received many more than required, or have some left over.

Finally, regarding suggestions that people aged over 65 years should be happy with the un-adjuvanted vaccine, the letter said:

The GP members of this group are frustrated and surprised.

My questions to the minister are:

1. Why hasn't the minister allowed transparency regarding the actual number of vaccines, and will the minister commit to this?

2. Has the minister ensured that GPs can help out nearby clinics that, as alleged by the Immunisation Coalition, have been barred by SA Health from redistributing vaccines?

3. What is the minister's response to other concerns raised?

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (14:35): The first point I would like to make in relation to the National Immunisation Program for the aged 65 years and older cohort is that SA Health has distributed enough of the vaccine specifically formulated for that group to vaccinate over 100 per cent of this estimated eligible cohort. Whilst influenza vaccines have been distributed, of course we only have tallies of what is distributed, not what has been administered.

In the context of the reports of individual practices being short, an audit by SA Health of that particular vaccine, the Fluad Quad stock, held by providers was undertaken as of Monday 11 May, that is Monday this week. Seventeen per cent of providers responded, and they had 12,858 doses of Fluad Quad stock on hand. That means there are some providers who have more vaccine than they need and so, as SA Health has recommended, people are encouraged to approach providers who have supplies.

In that context, SA Health has started publishing on its website a list of those providers who still have Fluad Quad in stock and have consented to having their details published online. The printout I have from that website is two pages of facilities right across the metropolitan area. The honourable member seeks the data in terms of the amount of vaccine available. As I said, there are almost 13,000 which providers tell us they have in stock. The contact numbers for providers with available vaccines are on the SA Health website.