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The public may be afraid of more than just needles

It seems that time spent preparing for the Pandemic Flu was indeed time spent wisely, and we are pleased to have worked with so many of you on these issues.

Having used the NHS Swine Flu helpline myself for my daughter I was deeply reassured to see just how well the system worked.

But now that the Swine Flu Vaccine is here, questions arise about how it is going to be used.

There are already so many questions around:

• Who will get the Swine Flu vaccine?
• Which "priority groups" will be allocated the vaccine?
• Will healthcare professionals get this ahead of the public?
• What order of priority will healthcare professionals be given the jab?
• Why are some GPs already refusing to take the Swine Flu vaccine?
• Has there been time for sufficient clinical trials to demonstrate the safety of the Swine Flu vaccine?

Further concerns will arise from media coverage such as the BBC Radio 4 reporting that the Swine Flu jab has not been tested on children, though this is one of the priority groups for whom the vaccine is targeted.

The worrying documentary last week on Guillain-Barre Syndrome, which affected 500 people in the US after being given a Swine Flu Vaccine in 1976, will also leave many groups wondering whether the vaccine will cause more problems then it solves.

Questions won't just come from the media, but also the public, healthcare professionals, Local Government Members on Overview and Scrutiny Committees, Social Networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace as well as employees of your own NHS organisation.

The general public increasingly take more responsibility for their own health and need to make informed decisions.

If your spokespeople need any support on developing and delivering your key messages, call us, we're here to help.