<p><br /> The Government has admitted some parts of England are short of flu vaccines and is considering bringing in more stocks from Europe.<br /> </p><p><br /> Suppliers have been asked to contact their factories in Europe for a count of how many stocks of UK-licensed vaccine are available.<br /> </p><p><br /> The Government has no central stockpile of seasonal flu vaccines, which are ordered every year by GPs and delivered to surgeries.<br /> </p><p><br /> The Department of Health (DoH) issued a statement following reports of patients being unable to get jabs from their GP.<br /> </p><p><br /> A spokeswoman insisted there was "no national shortage" but admitted some areas were experiencing "local supply issues".<br /> </p><p><br /> It has also been asked for a count of the number of other (non-UK labelled) doses it has in Europe, which could be brought in subject to regulatory issues.<br /> </p><p><br /> Millions of doses of seasonal flu vaccine are ordered by GPs in England every year.<br /> </p><p><br /> According to the UK Vaccine Industry Group, 14.7 million doses have been delivered across the UK, with 4 per cent of those stocks going to private companies.<br /> </p><p><br /> The DoH hopes local supply issues can be resolved through surgeries with too much vaccine offering it to others suffering shortages.<br /> </p><p><br /> Shadow health secretary John Healey said: "This action is better late than never but will only add to the confusion over the Government's handling of the swine flu outbreak.<br /> </p><p><br /> Earlier, it emerged that more than 1,000 tributes have been paid on Facebook to a teenager who died of suspected swine flu.<br /> </p>
