By Ian Quinn
A GP leader has accused SHA managers of using 'emotional blackmail' to force GPs to carry out vaccination of children against swine flu without being given resources to do the job.
Dr Dean Marshall, one of the GPC's lead negotiators on pandemic flu and chair of GPC Scotland, also accused SHAs of vetoing local deals between LMCs and trusts and health boards, which would have given GPs more flexibility.
Pulse has previously reported claims that SHA's have been putting huge pressure on trusts not to pay more than the bare minimum £5.25 per vaccination for taking part in the campaign, after negotiations between the Department of Health and the GPC over a national deal collapsed before Christmas.
Dr Marshall said: ‘There has been emotional blackmail going on and it is going to cause long term damage to relationships between trusts, health boards and local GPs which will go on for years.'
He claimed senior NHS management had ‘played on GPs better nature' safe in the knowledge that many would feel it their duty to protect children, even without proper resources being put in place.
A Pulse survey published late last month showed with three quarters of GPs supported the negotiators' refusal to sign up to a national deal.
Dr Dean Marshall accused SHA's of vetoing local swine flu vaccination deals
