Immunisation against influenza for the 2014-15 season commenced in September and good progress has been made. Provisional percentage vaccine uptake rates for various groups as at week ending 19 October are shown in the following table (figures relate to England):<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
Age Group<\/p><\/td> | Uptake Rate (%)<\/p><\/td><\/tr> |
People aged 65 years or older<\/p><\/td> | 44.6<\/p><\/td><\/tr> |
People aged six months to under 65 years in risk groups<\/p><\/td> | 25.2<\/p><\/td><\/tr> |
Pregnant women<\/p><\/td> | 22.4<\/p><\/td><\/tr> |
Children aged two years old<\/p><\/td> | 8.1<\/p><\/td><\/tr> |
Children aged three years old<\/p><\/td> | 8.8<\/p><\/td><\/tr> |
Children aged four years old<\/p><\/td> | 6.5<\/p><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> Vaccine uptake rates for those aged 65 and over, those under 65 with a clinical condition, and pregnant women are slightly higher than at the same point in the last two years. Uptake for two and three year olds is lower than at this point a year ago. For the new cohort of four year olds, vaccination levels are similar to those for two and three year olds.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> It is not possible to make an assessment of the effectiveness of the 2014-15 influenza immunisation programme at this very early stage before the influenza virus is circulating. The planned programme of campaign communication is ongoing.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3918", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jane Ellison"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Battersea"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Jane Ellison"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-10-30", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-10-30T16:57:25.8382413Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Influenza: Vaccination"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the (a) uptake and (b) effectiveness of the influenza immunisation vaccine campaign.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1388", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Dodds of Duncairn"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Belfast North"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Nigel Dodds"} ], "uin" : "211669"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/100707", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/100707/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Public Health England (PHE) strongly encourages women to take a folic acid supplement from before they are pregnant to the 12th week of pregnancy, to reduce the risk of having a baby with a neural tube defect. This advice is included in public health messages around pregnancy and planning a pregnancy.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance states that advice on folic acid supplementation should be provided as part of antenatal care at first contact with a healthcare professional. Advice on folic acid supplementation for women who are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, is disseminated through a variety of sources including the NHS Choices website, the NHS Information Service for Parents, the charity \u2018Tommy\u2019s\u2019, and Start4Life - PHE\u2019s campaign to give babies the best start in life and reduce the risk of poor health in the future.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> PHE has recently established a media partnership to communicate the key healthy behaviour messages prior to conception in more mainstream women\u2019s magazine media.<\/p> <\/p> <\/strong><\/p> <\/p> In addition, the Department has commissioned the Behavioural Insights Team to look at innovative approaches to raising awareness of the need to take folic acid supplements during pregnancy. This programme of work is scheduled for completion by the end of January 2015.<\/p> <\/p> <\/strong><\/p> <\/p> <\/strong><\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3918", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jane Ellison"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Battersea"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Jane Ellison"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-10-30", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-10-30T16:59:32.35103Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Neural Tube Defects: Folic Acid"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to raise awareness of the use of folic acid prior to conception as a preventative measure for neural tube defects.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1388", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Dodds of Duncairn"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Belfast North"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Nigel Dodds"}
], "uin" : "211670"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/100422", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/100422/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The United Kingdom has not recently made any representations to the European Commission on the future of health food supplements.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> Officials continue to engage at European Commission Expert Working Group meetings to ensure that any future changes to legislation are proportionate and based on evidence, so that consumers have confidence in what they buy, while maintaining a wide choice of safe products.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3918", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jane Ellison"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Battersea"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Jane Ellison"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-10-29", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-10-29T17:25:55.3605703Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Dietary Supplements"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent representations the Government has made to the European Commission on the future regulation of health food supplements.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1388", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Dodds of Duncairn"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Belfast North"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Nigel Dodds"}
], "uin" : "211418"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/77157", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/77157/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Bacillus cereus<\/em> is a common bacteria found widely in the environment in dust, soil and vegetation. Bacillus cereus<\/em> produces very hardy spores, which make it persistent in the environment.<\/p> <\/p> The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) undertake inspections of manufacturing facilities with reference to the standards of Good Manufacturing Practice to verify that companies are producing medicines that are of the correct quality and safety. The manufacture of sterile products, such as Total Parenteral Nutrition, is subject to special requirements in order to minimise risks of bacterial contamination.<\/p> <\/p> In the case of medicines, the MHRA and Public Health England (PHE) are currently investigating what has caused the recent incident where Total Parenteral Nutrition became contaminated with Bacillus cereus<\/em>. Based on the information we currently have, we believe this is an isolated incident and the appropriate immediate action has been taken to avoid a recurrence. No impacted product was supplied to Northern Ireland.<\/p> <\/p> The Northern Ireland administration has been informed of the current incident involving Bacillus cereus<\/em>. The investigations into the cause of this incident are still ongoing. The department will continue to discuss matters with the Northern Ireland administration for minimising Bacillus cereus<\/em> infection.<\/p> <\/p> The investigations being undertaken by MHRA and PHE are in their advanced stages and preliminary findings will be published as soon as possible.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3918", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jane Ellison"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Battersea"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Jane Ellison"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-07-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-07-17T14:00:13.2118212Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-07-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Infant Foods: Northern Ireland"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions officials in his Department have had with their counterparts in Northern Ireland on how best to ensure that babies in Northern Ireland are not at risk from contamination of privately manufactured batches of drip food.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1388", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Dodds of Duncairn"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Belfast North"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Nigel Dodds"}
], "uin" : "205018"}
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|