David Burrowes MP

Conservative Party | Enfield Southgate

Vaccines Denied as Tuberculosis Threat Level Rises

David Burrowes MP has expressed concern over what he describes as “a postcode lottery approach” to vaccinations against the potentially fatal disease, tuberculosis.

David has said: “It seems ill-thought through to endorse a system whereby vaccines are freely given in one part of Enfield and not the other. The growing prevalence of TB in London should not lead to different approaches to vaccination by neighbouring hospitals. It does not make sense that you have to give birth at North Middlesex Hospital to get a TB vaccination for your child, but if you go to Chase Farm Hospital your child will not be vaccinated.”

The postcode dependent system flies in the face of figures collated by the British Thoracic Society demonstrating a general increase in the prevalence of cases of TB across London in recent years.

David has raised this issue with the local Primary Care Trusts, who have responded in defence of their actions, stating their concordance with Department for Health guidelines. “Experts say the pattern of TB has changed and the previous mass vaccination programme of children aged 13 years is no longer the best way to tackle the problem of TB”.

David responded, "why is vaccination still good for children born at North Mid but not Chase Farm?"

In Westminster, concerns over these vaccinations are investigated by the All Party Parliamentary Group for Tuberculosis, of which David is a member. The group are currently collating the results of a survey of many Primary Care Trusts, assessing the prevalence of the disease and the priority given to it within the Health Care industry.

The findings of this survey will be reported on 6 December and are likely to determine the level of parliamentary action on this issue.

David commented: “This report should inform our thinking on provisions made for the prevention of tuberculosis. Everyone concerned wants to come up with the best possible policy for ensuring that risk to healthy people is kept to an absolute minimum.”