THE swine flu hotline is manned by junkies and alcoholics with no medical background, an insider claims.
Many join the NHS battle against the pandemic after just 20 minutes' training.
The ?6-an-hour staff were hired at short notice from job centres to fill the 1,500 posts at National Pandemic Flu Service call centres across Britain.
The helpline number is 0800 1 513 100 for the website click HERE Pandemic Flu
Some at a centre in Swansea, South Wales, have admitted to drug and booze problems. A shocked worker said: "One told me he'd been taking heroin daily until two weeks ago. Several have histories of drug and alcohol addiction."
The whistleblower added: "Staff here are dispensing medical advice yet have no medical background.
"We got a 20-minute talk then were handed photocopied sheets telling us what to tell callers. It's a shambles."
A flu line worker in Gateshead said staff there also got just 20 minutes' training and were told to prescribe drugs like Tamiflu "and move on".
The Department of Health insisted that staff had "careful training and checks".
Gordon Brown met NHS chiefs yesterday to discuss the response to the pandemic. He admitted the hotline had "teething troubles" but said: "People are getting through.
Many join the NHS battle against the pandemic after just 20 minutes' training.
The ?6-an-hour staff were hired at short notice from job centres to fill the 1,500 posts at National Pandemic Flu Service call centres across Britain.
The helpline number is 0800 1 513 100 for the website click HERE Pandemic Flu
Some at a centre in Swansea, South Wales, have admitted to drug and booze problems. A shocked worker said: "One told me he'd been taking heroin daily until two weeks ago. Several have histories of drug and alcohol addiction."
The whistleblower added: "Staff here are dispensing medical advice yet have no medical background.
"We got a 20-minute talk then were handed photocopied sheets telling us what to tell callers. It's a shambles."
A flu line worker in Gateshead said staff there also got just 20 minutes' training and were told to prescribe drugs like Tamiflu "and move on".
The Department of Health insisted that staff had "careful training and checks".
Gordon Brown met NHS chiefs yesterday to discuss the response to the pandemic. He admitted the hotline had "teething troubles" but said: "People are getting through.
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