Prescribed List: Changes from 8 August 2017

Information about the publication of Ministerial Decisions

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A decision made 3 August 2017:

Decision Reference: MD-S-2017-0052
Decision Summary Title :	DS_Removal of flu vaccination from Prescribed list		Date of Decision Summary:	01 August 2017
Decision Summary Author:	Policy Principal		Decision Summary: Public or Exempt?	Public
Type of Report: Oral or Written?	Written		Person Giving Oral Report:	N/A
Written Report Title :	WR_Removal of flu vaccination from prescribed list		Date of Written Report:	01 August 2017
Written Report Author:	Policy Principal		Written Report : Public or Exempt?	Public
Subject: Changes to be made to the Prescribed List (Jersey) as at 8 August 2017
Decision(s): Further to Article 15, paragraphs (11) and (12), of the Health Insurance (Jersey) Law 1967, and having consulted with the Pharmaceutical Benefit Advisory Committee, the Minister decided to make amendments to the Prescribed List with effect from 8 August 2017 to remove inactivated influenza vaccination from the list of medicines available as pharmaceutical benefit
Reason(s) for Decision: Over the past couple of years Jersey has achieved a poor uptake of flu vaccination amongst those most vulnerable to flu infection and experienced a spike in hospital admissions due to flu like illnesses. The current process for delivering seasonal flu vaccination has been reviewed, concluding that subsidy offered via medical benefit and pharmaceutical benefit restricts access and does not encourage practitioners to focus effort where the vaccination is most effective. A ‘flu group’ has been convened and proposed a new process to deliver a subsidised seasonal flu vaccination to target and indicated groups under contract. This new process necessitates the removal of the flu vaccination from the prescribed list. The new process aims to Improve coverage among clinically indicated groups, people and children vulnerable to the effects of flu Protect communities from an outbreak of seasonal flu by vaccinating targeted groups, these include nursery age and primary school children (who are more likely to catch flu, to experience more severe symptoms and spread flu within the population) and staff working in care homes Reduce the risk of winter pressures on the General Hospital Increase patient choice and improve access to flu vaccination services Additional benefits of the flu plan include Improving the value for money achieved with States funding Widening role diversity for primary care providers in line with the objectives of P.82 and the sustainable primary care strategy.
Resource Implications: The overall impact of the changes is expected to reduce total expenditure to the Health Insurance Fund by approximately £100,000
Action required: Business Manager to issue public notice listing amendments and notify all approved medical practitioners and approved contractors.
Signature:		Position: Minister
Date Signed:		Date of Decision (If different from Date Signed):