MORE than 330 patients have been told vaccines they received may not have worked, after a medical practice failed for almost a full year to ensure they were properly refrigerated.

Haydon Bridge and Allendale Medical Practice have now contacted 333 patients and guardians of patients who were vaccinated at the practice, which has a surgery in both villages, between November 2017 and September 2018.

An error with the fridges where the vaccines were stored meant that they may not have had their full effect.

Public Health England’s guidelines state that vaccines must be kept in a specialised fridge, at a temperature between +2C and +8C.

The temperature should also be checked and recorded every day.

The vaccines given by the practice over the 11-month period included childhood immunisations, shingles and pneumonia for the elderly, as well as travel-related jabs.

One concerned resident, who asked not to be named, told the Courant: “Parents whose young children are registered at Haydon Bridge and Allendale Medical Practice have recently had letters saying their children may have to be re-vaccinated.

“This is due to vaccinations that have been administered being stored incorrectly.

“The implications are children not being protected, the anxiety of having to have your children re-vaccinated. There are clear guidelines about the storage and monitoring of medication – this has not been adhered to and our children have been put at risk.”

The practice has launched a full investigation into the issue.

Executive GP at the practice, Dr Mary Henderson, said that the likelihood of harm to patients resulting from the error was minimal.

Dr Henderson said: “We have contacted a number of patients/ guardians of patients who were vaccinated at our practice between November 2017 and September 2018.

“This is to make them aware that – as a result of an error with the fridges where the immunisation vaccines are stored – the vaccines may not have had their full effect.

“We would like to assure people that the likelihood of any harm resulting from this error is minimal. However, to ensure all our patients receive the full benefits of the vaccines, we are asking them/ their guardians to contact the practice to discuss the best way forward in their particular case.

“We fully understand that it is often stressful and time consuming coming into the practice for vaccinations and we would like to apologise unreservedly for any additional anxiety or inconvenience caused.

“We are treating this issue with the utmost seriousness and are completing a full, and thorough, investigation to understand how it occurred and how to avoid any repetition.

“Furthermore, we are working closely with our colleagues at Public Health England and NHS England to ensure all patients affected are contacted and re-immunised where necessary.”