Eastwood MSP, Jackson Carlaw has strongly criticised this year's flu vaccination delivery schedule in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.
The health board have assumed responsibility from GP practices in arranging flu jab appointments for the over 65's this year for the first time and it has emerged that the oldest of this age group will receive the vaccine last.
This is because NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde is scheduling flu vaccine appointments based on the Scottish Immunisation Recall System (SIRS).
The SIRS software was specifically created for childhood vaccinations and gives priority to those who are youngest.
The use of this system for scheduling the delivery of flu jabs means that some vulnerable elderly people who may previously have been able to receive the vaccine in early October could now be forced to wait until the end of November or possibly December before they will have an appointment.
Mr Carlaw's Eastwood constituency is part of the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde health board region and the MSP has criticised the later delivery of the flu vaccine for the oldest of the over 65 age group as a “cruel madness”.
Jackson Carlaw MSP for Eastwood said:
"Countless numbers of elderly constituents have contacted me in a state of panic due to the absence of a letter so far inviting them to an appointment for the vaccine particularly as they may have already received the flu jab by this point in previous years.
"Given the events of 2020 with the COVID-19 pandemic, many elderly individuals are even more anxious to receive their flu jab in a timely manner this year and are understandably outraged not to have been given an appointment by now.
"It has increasingly become a grave concern for me that a growing number of Eastwood residents in their 80’s and 90’s are genuinely afraid that they have been abandoned to the fates of the winter.
"It is surely a cruel madness to possibly deprive vulnerable elderly people from being given the flu jab until late November and perhaps even December in some cases.
"It is completely unacceptable that the SNP Government have allowed for this to potentially happen and the problems emerging with this year’s flu vaccine are quickly evolving into a national scandal."