States unsure how long Sark got free flu jabs for

Sark Medical Centre doubled its prices for flu jabs to £20 earlier this month

The States of Guernsey has said it does not know how long it mistakenly gave free flu vaccines in Sark.

Health and Social Care (HSC) revealed earlier this month it had supplied flu jabs to the island for free due to an "internal miscommunication".

The BBC has learnt that the situation lasted for "years" but, because of staff turnover, Sark was unsure exactly how long.

A spokesperson for the States of Guernsey confirmed it was "unclear" how many years the issue had "been present for".

The States said it "became aware of the matter at the start of 2024 and took immediate action to re-establish the charging arrangements".

"Sark's Medical and Emergency Services Committee was informed of the error in March 2024 and advised that the charges would be reintroduced for adult vaccinations from 1 April 2024," it said.

Sark Medical Practice doubled its prices for adult flu jabs earlier this month because of the increased costs.