Dr Kailash Chand, regional representative of the British Medical Association, is angry that Boots and Asda are offering flu injections for between é12 and é15 to the "worried well" when they are aware a national shortage of the vaccine means the health service is struggling to protect the sick and elderly.
Problems in producing the flu jab mean the national vaccination programme, which usually starts in September, has been delayed - with some of the region's surgeries still waiting for supplies they need to protect the over-65s and other at-risk patients.
But special flu jab clinics at Boots chemist stores across the region today and tomorrow are almost fully booked and local Asda stores are expecting early morning queues of people tomorrow.
Dr Chand said: "I have no problem with supermarkets providing flu vaccines but they are aware of the shortages this year and they should only be supplying them to at-risk groups."
Asda stores in Trafford Park, Eastlands, on Ashton New Road, Warren Street, in Stockport, Riverside retail park, in Radcliffe, Pilsworth Road, in Pilsworth, Atherleigh Way, in Leigh, Newtown in Wigan, and Rawtenstall will be holding flu clinics from 9.15am tomorrow, with jabs costing é12.
An Asda spokeswoman said: "This was our most popular healthcare event ever when we ran it two years ago."
Boots in Market Street, Manchester, are running a walk-in clinic today and tomorrow and there are still a few appointments available for the é15 jab.
A Department of Health spokesman said: " Manufacturers have been able to fill all the orders for seasonal flu vaccine from GPs."
amanda.crook@men-news.co.uk
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Why is the NHS short of the vaccine? Since Gordon Brown increased the rate of NI contributions, I have been paying about ¿¿1,000 p.a. more towards the NHS. What happened to this money? Was it all spent on consultants' salaries?
what a farce, had a stroke 3 years ago and have been refused the jab this year, seems to me this goverment dont want to keep its working people at work,
Why is it "morally insupportable"? Does that doctor believe that the supermarket is stealing the vaccine so there is none left over for the NHS? Why not just put the supermarkets in charge of healthcare? They'd do a better job of it, because, as in this case the more they treat, the more money they get, whereas the NHS doesn't want to treat people because it costs money.
Why are the NHS worried? The people that pay for the jab are lessening the demand in the NHS surgeries, thus making more vaccines available for the sick and elderly.
The supermarkets are opening up the market and providing the public with choices just like private hospitals do.
Why shouldn't people have the opportunity of paying for the flu jab if they wish to. I myself dont fall into the Government's special list of priorities, I was not able to obtain the flu jab at my GPs, so had no choice but to pay for it elsewhere. I have the right to obtain the flu jab, even if I have to pay for it.
how are the supermarkets to blame for the nhs' inability to do it's job properly when thats the reason they're selling the jab in the first place?
I'm a self employed tradesman, is it immoral of me to try and prevent a couple of weeks unpaid sickness?