NHS health trusts may be forced to cut other services due to the expense of battling swine flu, new data suggests.

The cost of responding to swine flu was an average of £340,000 per trust, according to a survey of 107 primary care trusts (PCTs) in England

Analysis by GP newspaper suggests that one in six of all PCTs may have to cut other services - or already have done - to recoup costs, while others have used contingency funds to meet the costs of tackling the pandemic.

Of 56 PCTs, 4% spent £500,000 or less while 9% spent more than ┬£600,000, the figures showed.

Overall, costs ranged from £11,100 to ┬£1.7 million, and included money spent on equipment, staffing and communications.

Several trusts said they would have to recoup the costs over the next year.

Dr Richard Vautrey, deputy chairman of the British Medical Association`s GP Committee, told GP newspaper that he believes individual trusts should not have had to foot the bill.

He said: "I think a pandemic should be seen as an exceptional circumstance and a PCT should be fully supported by central government."

Copyright ⌐ Press Association 2010

Figures indicate that the number of new swine flu infections is experiencing a downward trend.

Confirmed new cases of flu in England last week were at an estimated 53,000, down from 64,000 in the previous week.

In Scotland the figures fell from about 21,500 to 21,200.

Sir Liam Donaldson, England`s Chief Medical Officer said it was too early to comment on whether the pandemic had peaked.

He stressed that `herd immunity` among young people could be bringing the figures down, adding the vaccination programme could also be a factor driving the decline.

Swine flu deaths in England, however, rose from 124 to 142. Another 21 have died in Wales alongside 38 in Scotland and 13 in Northern Ireland - making the UK total 214.

Sir Liam said: "Patients are dying, parents around the country are standing by intensive care beds with their children in life or death situations.

"When we have got the weapons to deal with it I think we should use them. We are out to save lives and we are out to fight this pandemic all the way."

Copyright ⌐ Press Association 2009

As many as one in 10 pregnant woman are refusing the swine-flu vaccine due to fears of side effects, according to a poll by Pulse magazine.

They are among half of all patients nationwide who have turned down the jab despite 64,000 new infections a week and a Government campaign urging a greater take-up as Christmas approaches.

The survey of 107 GPs also found a widespread perception that, because symptoms are so mild, it is not worth the time or effort to apply for the jab.

Family doctors are currently vaccinating other people at high risk from swine flu, including health workers and those with asthma, heart disease and diabetes.

Meanwhile, the Government has told GPs they will not lose out financially if they immunise more patients than the 50.7% they are asked cover with the seasonal flu jab.

GPs who do so will have the amount of work they are required to do in other areas - such as diabetes or asthma clinics - reduced while still being paid for it.

Copyright ⌐ Press Association 2009

(DirectGov)

A 6,000 increase in the number of people contracting swine flu has been described as "small" by the Government`s chief medical officer.

Sir Liam Donaldson said there had been an estimated 84,000 new cases in the last week, but added that this increase was modest when compared with previous figures.

He explained that the rise could be explained by the national half-term break, but added that the overall number of young people contracting the virus had fallen.

Speaking via a video link from Washington, he explained: "This could be a half-term effect - we can`t be completely sure - so, before starting to talk too much about the overall flattening off and even a slight reduction, we`ve got to wait a week or two to see what happens."

Sir Liam also revealed that the number of patients in critical care because of the condition had increased, with a total of 172 out of 848 currently in hospital being treated in intensive care.

The total number of swine flu-related deaths in the UK stands at 154 - 105 in England, 31 in Scotland, 10 in Northern Ireland and eight in Wales.

Copyright ⌐ Press Association 2009