'Give flu vaccine to all arthritis sufferers' plea

A rheumatoid arthritis sufferer from Banwell is petitioning the Government to make flu vaccines available for free to all people with the condition.

Janet Lawlor, 51, who lives in Castle Hill, was diagnosed with the condition when she was in her late 20s.

She now has to take the medication Leflunomide every day to help control the disease, which results in a suppressed immune system.

Janet, a mum of two, launched the petition to put pressure on the Government to fund flu vaccines for people under 65 with the condition.

Currently the NHS is not obliged to provide a free flu vaccine to sufferers. People with the condition have to go into the surgery and ask their doctors for it.

Mrs Lawlor, a former project controller, said: "My hospital consultants say I must have the vaccine because of the medication I am on and the fact that the condition causes sufferers to have a suppressed immune system.

"This means that people with the condition cannot fight off infections as a healthy person would.

"Other people with problems with their immune system get the flu vaccine without question and I do not see why people with rheumatoid arthritis should be treated any differently.

"Every year it is a battle for me – and other people – to get the flu vaccine.

"Rheumatoid arthritis is a painful disease and is enough of a fight to deal with on a daily basis.

"It is unfair that sufferers have to put up a separate fight to get a simple vaccine that they require."

The petition has been running for two weeks and already more than 50 people have signed it. The deadline for pledging support to the petition is November 7 and Mrs Lawlor is hoping other sufferers and their families will sign up.

She said: "I wanted to do something to make the Government sit up and take notice and make the decision to fund flu vaccinations for people with rheumatoid arthritis and I hope they will listen seriously to my request."

Rheumatoid arthritis is a disabling disease affecting 0.8 per cent of the UK adult population.

Currently all people over 65 and those with conditions such as asthma, diabetes or chronic health issues get the flu vaccine.