PCTs' orders of seasonal flu vaccines for health workers more than doubled this year, responses to a request for information show.

The DoH has said that vaccination of healthcare workers against swine flu is progressing well.

As of last week, 275,000 healthcare staff had been vaccinated, more than double the 123,000 given seasonal flu jabs during the last flu season.

But data obtained by GP show that PCTs anticipate a similar rise in seasonal jab uptake.

PCTs increased their order of seasonal flu vaccines by an average of 110 per cent this season. Of 33 PCTs that responded to the request, 23 said they had increased their order for this year compared with 2008. These trusts increased their orders by 151 per cent on average.

Six PCTs did not alter their vaccine order and only one decreased its order. Other PCTs were not able to provide information for both years.

The cost per jab for PCTs fell from an average of £3.96 in 2008/9 to £3.60 in 2009/10.

PCTs said they were attempting to increase uptake among healthcare workers. One PCT was seeking to increase uptake more than seven-fold and five others sought to more than triple uptake.