Maintain pressure on reforms to protect NHSNHS hires flu tsar to prepare NHS for pandemic
The NHS has hired a new ‘flu tsar’ tasked with ensuring the health service can cope with a swine flu pandemic.
Ian Dalton, currently chief executive of NHS North East, will take up the position of head of flu resilience with immediate effect.
Mr Dalton will be responsible for ensuring all NHS organisation in England are ready for a swine flu pandemic.
A major part of his job will be ensuring that all organisations are supplied with adequate equipment and drugs.
Health secretary Alan Johnson said: ‘We already have robust arrangements in place that are continuing to ensure we are well-placed to deal with swine flu. The appointment of Ian Dalton will support the vital operational side of our plans by ensuring every NHS organisation in England is in the best possible position to protect the population.’
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Readers' comments (3)
Doug Langdon | 6-May-2009 2:04 pm
Why on earth do we need a flu tzar?
In this day and age, do we not have systems already in place to cope with such a situation?
It makes me wonder what we are paying civil servants at the Department of Health to do from Monday to Friday and 52 weeks a year!!
Just another example of how politicians waste public money.
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marilyn edwards | 6-May-2009 7:00 pm
This is just another example of too many chiefs. We already have a CMO - why can't he guide the Trusts?
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melanie Ripley | 7-May-2009 8:10 am
I agree with the above comments. Surely if all NHS Trusts have devised a flu plan, which I think many have. I know the trust I work for has, then there is no need for a Tsar and its just added expense we can ill afford.
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