Tell us East Lancashire swine flu test figures: MP (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Tell us East Lancashire swine flu test figures: MP

8:20pm Tuesday 5th May 2009 in Health By Camilla Sutcliffe

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EAST Lancashire people will not be told how many have been tested for swine flu or given anti-viral drugs, under Health Protection Agency rules.

Ribble Valley MP Nigel Evans has blasted the guidelines which mean that local health bosses can comment only on confirmed cases of the bug, saying the policy could make the public “even more suspicious”.

Nobody in Lancashire has tested positive for the H1N1 strain, and the only two confirmed cases in the whole of the North West are both in Merseyside.

But primary care trusts NHS East Lancashire and NHS Blackburn with Darwen said they could not reveal how many people had been tested or given precautionary anti-viral drugs like Tamiflu.

A spokesman for NHS Blackburn with Darwen said: “We will not be giving a running commentary on suspected cases of swine flu in the area. In the coming days and weeks we would fully expect that many members of the public will contact their GP or NHS Direct seeking advice.

“These numbers are likely to change regularly, so it would be very difficult to provide helpful information with any certainty.

“Some of those people may require further assessment and treatment, others will not.”

But Mr Evans said he could see no reason for not releasing information.

“He said: “Giving an idea of the numbers of people who have been tested would show that the health trusts are up to speed, and I don’t see any problem with that.

“I think the authorities are being over-cautious and could make the public even more suspicious because they are not being given this information.”

Ellis Friedman, director of public health at NHS East Lancashire, said: “Most suspect cases will be dealt with at home by their GP, after an initial risk assessment over the phone.

“If someone is ill enough to need hospital treatment, they will be taken there.”