THE Government has been forced to release hundreds of thousands of flu vaccine doses after unprecedented demand prompted by fears of a pandemic.

Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt said she had authorised the release of 400,000 doses of vaccine after GPs warned they were running out.

The Government is also buying a further 200,000 vaccination doses, which should be available by January.

The massive demand has been blamed on fears of a pandemic, should avian flu mutate into a virus that can easily transmit between humans.

Although the current vaccine would be useless against a deadly new strain, ministers admit awareness of a pandemic has led to greater demand.

In a Commons statement, Ms Hewitt said the Department of Health was releasing flu vaccine from contingency stocks to help ease the shortage.

She said more than 14 million doses had been manufactured this year - enough to immunise targeted groups.

Current problems may be due to under-ordering by GPs or use of the vaccine on the "worried well".

She urged GPs to prioritise remaining stocks on people over 65 and youngsters classed as at clinical risk.

Ms Hewitt also appeared to indicate that ministers were thinking again about stockpiling face masks and gloves in a bid to combat any instance of avian flu.

Angry exchanges followed Ms Hewitt's statement, during which she was accused of blaming doctors for the "crisis" instead of taking responsibility herself, and the Department was charged with "gross complacency".

Shadow Health Secretary, Andrew Lansley said: "People have been going to their GPs to get their flu jabs and being told that supplies have run out."

Pointing at Ms Hewitt, he said: "You don't accept responsibility for this. You should have done. The delivery of the immunisation programme is the Government's responsibility. It is not good enough that you come to the House and blame the GPs."

In the North, some towns still have ample stocks, but others have run short.

Darlington still has vaccine available. An NHS spokesman said there had been no reports that vaccines have run out.

In Middlesbrough, some GPs' surgeries have re-ordered after running low. A similar situation exists in Hartlepool and Tony Blair's Sedgefield constituency, where the uptake at the end of last month was five per cent higher than expected.

The situation is worse in Easington, east Durham, where all GP practices have exhausted supplies of vaccine.

A spokesman for Hambleton and Richmondshire Primary Care Trust, in North Yorkshire, said: "Some practices still have vaccine left and are continuing with immuisation. Some have re-ordered. At-risk patients and the elderly have been targeted."

Once the at-risk groups have been vaccinated, GPs will consider requests from others if extra supplies are available.