CONTINGENCY PLANS have been drawn up by the Health Service Executive (HSE) to administer the swine flu vaccine to the entire population, including at- risk patients, if GPs do not wish to participate in the vaccination programme.
However, a meeting yesterday between the HSE and the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO), which represents GPs, to discuss their possible involvement was reported by the HSE to have been "positive".
Dr Ronan Boland, chair of the IMO GP committee, said a number of practical issues had been raised by the IMO at the meeting.
GPs, he said, had been told in a letter from the HSE last week that they would have to be in a position to identify all those aged six months to 65 years with specific risk conditions in their practice. GPs should schedule them for two doses of the swine flu vaccine three weeks apart.
He said GPs could not guarantee they would be able to identify all at-risk patients. A significant number of surgeries still did not have computerised records, he said. Other issues raised included questions about indemnity and what would happen if only some GPs took part.
"We are doing our best to sort out these issues with the HSE and Department of Health as quickly as is humanly possible," Dr Boland said.
"GPs do not want to find their patients in a position where they cannot avail of vaccination and are anxious to assist in any way that they can to do so," he added.
GPs are to be paid €10 for each of the two swine flu doses administered to each patient.
The HSE is hoping it will know which GPs are willing to take part in the programme by this weekend, with a view to commencing vaccinations of at-risk patients from October 19th.
Earlier yesterday the Department of Health's chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan told the Oireachtas health committee that the HSE had plans to have 30 special clinics operational in each local health office area by October 19th if GPs did not participate but "that would be less than ideal".
It was preferable if GPs vaccinated the at-risk group, Dr Holohan said.
It is estimated there are about 400,000 patients in at-risk groups.
These would include patients with diabetes, heart disease and obesity as well as pregnant women.
Dr Holohan said it was accepted it would be too much to expect GPs to vaccinate the entire population. This would involve "40-man days per GP per year".
He said there was a certain amount of swine flu vaccine in the country and more was expected shortly.
Minister for Health Mary Harney told the committee it had been agreed recently to double hospital intensive care unit capacity to deal with the pandemic. She also said the HSE would procure additional ventilators.
The third death from swine flu in Northern Ireland was confirmed yesterday. The latest victim was a child under three. The North's department of health was not releasing any further details.
Meanwhile Baxter - the second company due to supply the State with the H1N1 pandemic vaccine - had its vaccine licensed by the European Commission yesterday.
GlaxoSmithKline, the State's other supplier, has already had its vaccine licensed by the Commission.