Of 216 GPs who responded to the survey, 29% said they would not opt to receive the swine flu vaccine and a further 29% said they were not sure whether they would or not.
Of those who would refuse vaccination, 71% said they were concerned that the vaccine had not been through sufficient trials to guarantee its safety.
Professor David Salisbury, DoH director of immunisation, told Healthcare Republic, the website for GP newspaper, that frontline health workers have a duty to themselves regarding vaccination.
'They have a duty to their patients not to infect their patients and they have a duty to their families,' he said.
'I think you solve those responsibilities by being vaccinated.'
- Read next week's GP dated 4 September for the full results of the poll.
- Editor's blog: Do GPs and nurses have a responsibility to get swine flu jabs?
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Cut systolic BP targets for heart failure risk patients
Men better at quitting smoking than women
Sessional GPs in talks to switch from BMA
Practices not funded for nurse work in extended hours
All Comments
Ralph Quinlan Forde - 25 August 2009
Of course they know the truth. Why is everyone talking about a vaccine rather than homeopathic medicine. The french spend over 7 million a year on a specific homeopathic medicine
http://stargatenutritionvitamin.blogspot.com/
Snail - 27 August 2009
Funny how GPs were not entitled to seasonal flu vaccine in the past. Now, suddenly, it is our duty and responsibility to be vaccinated against swine flu. I wonder why...
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