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Nigel Higson is a GP at the Goodwood Court Medical Centre in Hove. Here, he blogs about his experiences dealing with swine flu in the city.

Will the health care worker stand up please?

Another cracker of an audit sent to us today. The Government demands that we record every swine flu vaccine given to a health care worker. Regrettably the definition of a "health care worker" was not stated. I am not sure who to record when we eventually start vaccinating.

How a press release is making GPs' lives even harder

According to the DoH the "swine flu mass vaccination campaign starts today". We have already had numerous calls to our staff requesting the vaccine - a vaccine which we have not got.

Prince Philip, swine flu and whiskey

Up in Deeside this week for our timeshare holiday. Queen (no ... HRH not the pop group) is ending her summer holidays here as well.

The politics of swine flu

In the run up over the last two years to the pandemic the Government has been "working" with the various emergency services and other affected parties to plan how to manage during a pandemic. Key to this would be effective and appropriate information to the public and to professionals. I wonder if it was really worth all the effort? One example is the availability of the swine flu vaccine... Sir Liam Donaldson, Chief Medical Officer, promised the UK would start vaccination in August. Now we have been told that the first vaccine has been approved for us in the UK, but nothing released yet. Latest epistle received this afternoon suggests mid October when the supplies will arrive... I won't be keeping my fingers crossed.

Notes for not working

Sicknotes. Or, perhaps as we are encouraged to think of them - lack of fitness certificates. These are a fact of a jobbing GP's life.... "can I have a note for work doc" which really means, "can I have a note so I don't work, doc". When we see someone with flu, we recommend a week's absence from contact with work colleagues in order to prevent the passage of the infection... not unreasonable. But what happens if you telephone the National Flu Line or obtain help via the internet flu diagnostic service the Government has set up? Yes, you may well get the advice to stay off work but regrettably they don't issue sick notes.

Kiss me quick…

I understand that in an attempt to stop the swine flu spreading throughout France, Le President has promised not to kiss anyone. The French Authorities have decided that a one metre exclusion zone should exist between people and that the alternating cheek pecking (which of course varies in number of kisses dependent on the region of France) is not healthy. So now we cannot shake hands with anyone; cannot kiss anyone; certainly cannot cough or sneeze over people; so how do we express our pleasure at meeting someone! Ideas by return of blog comment please!

Less likely to kill or maim - but still as likely to make you feel unwell!

Yesterday the Cabinet Office estimated that over the next wave of swine flu which is likely to start in the next six weeks, up to 30% of the population may become unwell, but the predicted proportion of cases with complications is now 1 in 6 and the chance of death rate is now at the lower end of the previous range at 1 in a 1000 people who develop flu However, the revised assumptions still have a clinical attack rate of up to 8% of the total population at the peak, which could mean over 20,000 people unwell in Brighton and Hove during the peak week. I suppose, with any luck, we could hope that the Labour Party Conference might be cancelled through 1 in every 12 PR managers being sick?

Swine flu vaccine will not give you flu!

"Study shows nurses unwilling to have swine flu jab - concerns as not tested fully". What a load of rubbish!

Greetings from the Mediterranean

I'm expecting a meteor shower at midnight tonight which is perhaps not too far off the subject of swine flu as one area of blame for influenza was related to viruses disseminated to earth by passing meteors (I remember having to comment on this for the BBC some years ago).

Anyone heard the one about the swine flu joke?

Leaving the UK I expected to be vigorously screened for symptoms of infection with swine flu before being allowed on a ship carrying some three thousand airconditioned souls. Sum total of the screening was a self declaration of two questions whether or not I had symptoms of illness of any form ... no infra red thermography or full medical examination. So be it, at least it speeded up the embarkation process in the rain at Southampton.

The spread of swine flu slows

It's the end of a rather eventful month when we have seen the first rush of flu but fortunately few signs of panic. News today was that the number of new cases seems to be slowing down - which is not surprising as the schools have been closing down for the summer break and that will disrupt the chain of spread of any infection. I still think children should be taught in rows again ( as I was!) so they only cough into the back of the head of other children rather than face-on across a table - but call me old fashioned . . .

Swine flu - not a wet squib

I was asked the other day whether the whole Swine Flu things was turning out to be a wet squib. I can understand why - its becoming a joke when people go off from work with fever and sore throat, receive a diagnosis of swine flu, and then are up and about again the next day. Regrettably, as we are aware, in some people its not such an easy recovery.

Swine flu hotline asks: "Are you unconscious?"

The Government hotline has certainly decreased enquiries to the practice… however it was interesting that one patient rang us after being asked by the hotline whether he was unconscious (I have never known anyone manage to us the telephone when unconscious, but modern mobile phones do have amazing gadgetry these days) and when asked whether he was dribbling at the mouth, a positive response resulted in him being told to phone immediately for an ambulance.

Going on holiday and worried about swine flu? Get yourself insured

Trying to find out the telephone number for the new pandemic flu line the government said it was opening today took me more time than dealing with the half dozen telephone consultations from suffering patients. Yes, flu is hitting Brighton and Hove, but most of the people I have spoken to on the phone seem to have had relatively mild disease and not required treatment other than fluids, paracetamol and a week away from the in-laws.