A HEALTH authority says flu jabs will be available to those at risk this winter - even although it has no cash to advertise the service.

East Lancashire Health Authority says it has no spare money to pay for sending out reminder letters to people who need the vaccination, or to pay for advertising.

But it says a high profile ad campaign last year failed to increase the number of people coming forward for injections anyway.

A report to the authority by the director of public health, Dr Stephen Morton, said that in 1996, 47,912 vaccinations were given. In 1997 that figure rose to 59,474.

But despite further resources being made available for a campaign in 1998, the number of flu jabs given was similar to that in 1997.

The health authority's auditors are now conducting a value for money study into the influenza immunisation programme in East Lancashire.

A spokeswoman for the authority said: "Last year some money was allocated to GPs for administration - for writing out and reminding people. We also took out some advertisements in local newspapers.

"This had very little effect on the number of people who came forward for vaccination.

"The vaccinations will be available as normal this year. People should simply ask their GPs about it."

Flu jabs are recommended for people aged over 65 and those in recognised "at risk" groups, for example those suffering from chronic heart or respiratory disease.

Every year between 3,000 and 4,000 deaths are attributed to influenza nationally.

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