The NHS in East Sussex has expressed its thanks to the County Council for helping in the effort to deal with swine flu.
Over the past few weeks the council's two mobile library vans have been used as antiviral collection points (ACPs) at the Eastbourne District General Hospital and the Conquest Hospital in Hastings.
They are two of over 60 ACPs across East Sussex where people can collect anti-viral medication.
NHS East Sussex Downs and Weald and NHS Hastings and Rother are now replacing the library vans with temporary buildings in the same locations.
Graham Delves from the local NHS pharmacy team said:
“We are most grateful to East Sussex County Council Library Service for the temporary loan of their mobile units.
As we make preparations for the response to swine flu to continue into the autumn, the time is right to replace the mobile units with a facility that is more suited to the purpose.
We are working closely with East Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust to make sure that people who need to receive antiviral medication can get it without disrupting other services, such as Accident and Emergency and Outpatient Clinics."
A spokesperson for the County Council's Library Service added:
"This is an important community health issue and we were glad to work with in partnership with the local NHS.
Once we know exactly when the vans will be returned we will inform our mobile library users of when they can expect their service to be returned to normal."
The NHS would like to remind people that if they are suffering from flu-like symptoms they can contact the National Flu Pandemic Service (NPFS) on tel 0800 1 513 100 or via the website at https://www.pandemicflu.direct.gov.uk
If you are assessed by the NPFS as needing a course of antiviral treatment, you should send a “flu friend” with the required identification to collect the medicines, rather than attending yourself.
The Antiviral Collection Points at the hospital sites will continue to open from 12noon until 8pm seven days a week, with Eastbourne switching to a portacabin this week (Friday 4th September) and Hastings following shortly afterwards
A variety of other locations are able to supply antiviral medication.
Full details of the collection points in each area and their opening times are available via the National Flu Pandemic Service phoneline or website
