HEALTH bosses today said they were confident - despite a supply shortage - that everyone entitled to a free flu jab in East Lancashire, could get one.

But efforts are now focusing on convincing those eligible to go for their jab as the flu season begins.

The annual inoculation programme at GP surgeries across East Lancashire was thrown into disarray last month when one of the country's leading suppliers had its licence revoked, forcing it to quarantine all of its stock.

Surgeries which order supplies from Oxford-based Chiron Vaccines -- one of six companies which provide the vaccine -- had to cancel their appointments after initially being told stocks weren't ready for release.

And there were fears the jabs wouldn't be available for people entitled to free ones before the onset of winter.

Over-65s, people with asthma, diabetes and other immune-diminishing illnesses, and many children are entitled to the free jab every year.

Several East Lancashire MPs are among those campaigning for eligibility for the vaccine to be widened.

New figures from the Department of Health have prompted a campaign by East Lancashire's Primary Care Trusts to try to get a greater number of the over-65s inoculated this year.

Around 30 per cent of the over 65s in Blackburn with Darwen did not get inoculated last year, along with 28 per cent in Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale.

Hyndburn and Ribble Valley pensioners fared the worst of the lot, with 33 per cent failing to have the jab.

Problems in getting the message across -- particularly to ethnic minority groups -- are believed to have resulted in the low take-up rate.

A spokesman for Blackburn with Darwen Primary Care Trust, said: "We have worked with surgeries to ensure they can get the stocks they need and we are confident every one entitled to one who wants one will get one.

"We also run a service for OAP care homes and that was affected by this. Alternative stocks were found and that has now taken place."

A spokesman for the Montague Health Centre in Blackburn, which was affected, said: "We have held appointments after finding a new supplier. It has been a nightmare and we won't be using the old company again."

David Rogers, assistant chief executive at Hyndburn and Ribble Valley PCT said: "We were back on track quite rapidly with only two of our surgeries affected. Our main concern now is convincing everyone that needs the jab to come and have their injections."

A spokesperson for Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale Primary Care Trust said today: "In the main, the shortage of vaccinations has been overcome in each of our three areas.

Dr Swamy Narayana, a Burnley GP and chair of the PCT's Professional and Executive Committee, added: "The message to those at-risk patients is to book an appointment for the vaccination with your GP. Alternative supplies have been arranged and with winter approaching, now is the time to be getting protection from any possible flu outbreak."