The Chairman of the National Outsourcing Association has defended the call centre running the national Swine Flu Helpline, following reports it had been misdiagnosing patients.

Up to 80 per cent (up to 800,000 people) of people who were told they did have swineflu, may not have actually had the illness, according to reports today.

The National pandemic Flu Service (NPFS) was set up under NHS Direct as a specialised service to take pressure away from its main phone lines. The service enables patients with flu-like symptoms to be assessed via phone or internet and be given Tamiflu vouchers.

However, the decision was taken to use private sector providers so that the service could be ‘flexed to meet the anticipated surge in demand’ an NHS Direct Statement says.

Martyn Hart, Chairman of the NOA, said this was not the blunder the right-wing press were keen to make out. “The fact is that the government doesn’t want swine flu to spread,” said Hart.

“So call centre staff will have been told to err on the side of caution when diagnosing. It’s also very difficult to distinguish clear symptoms described by a patient over the phone. The guys running this phoneline deserve a break.”

Scientists from the Health Protection Agency (HPA), said that at the height of the swine flu scare, the rate of correct diagnosis could have fallen to approximately one in 20. This means that in the busiest week of operation 40,000 doses of Tamiflu were dished out when 95 per cent – 36,000 should not have been.