Tag: Department of Health and Social Care

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 18 May 2023.

The government has delivered on its commitment of recruiting 26,000 more primary care professionals – such as dieticians and paramedics – in GP practices.

• Over 26,000 more primary care professionals now working in GP practices since March 2019
• Government delivers key manifesto commitment to expand GP teams
• Wide range of healthcare professionals working alongside doctors and nurses delivering direct patient care as quickly as possible.

The government has delivered on its manifesto commitment of recruiting 26,000 additional primary care professionals – such as dieticians, paramedics and physiotherapists – who provide care directly to patients, or support doctors and nurses to do so.

A year ahead of the March 2024 pledge, data published today by NHS England shows there are 29,103 additional primary care staff helping to deliver on one of the government’s key priorities to cut waiting lists.

This means that since March 2019, there are 3 and a half times more people working in these roles – from 11,500 in 2019 to over 40,600 as of March – in GP practices working with doctors and nurses to deliver care to patients.

We are working to create many more appointments, with recent data showing there were almost 2 million more GP appointments delivered in March when compared to a year ago – that is 83,500 more appointments each working day.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said:

Expanding our brilliant primary care teams was a key promise of this government, and we have delivered. It is fantastic news we have achieved our target to recruit an extra 26,000 primary care professionals almost one year earlier than planned.

These dedicated professionals play a vital role at the front door of our NHS – supporting patients, delivering excellent care and helping to cut waiting lists.

Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said:

This government is focused on cutting waiting lists – which is one of our 5 priorities – and getting patients the care they need, when they need it.

We have delivered on our promise a year early to recruit 26,000 extra primary care professionals which means more clinicians delivering better, more specialised and accessible care to patients.

Building on the primary care recovery plan, we are determined to end the 8am scramble, improve technology and reduce bureaucracy.

Today’s milestone builds on the recently published primary care recovery plan which set out action to make it easier for patients to contact their GP and end the 8am rush. It included £240 million funding given to practices across the UK this year to embrace latest technology.

More broadly, there are record numbers of doctors and nurses working in the NHS helping to deliver extra appointments, speed up diagnoses and tackle the COVID-19 backlog. Data also shows 440 more doctors working in general practice and face-to-face appointments on the rise.

Amanda Pritchard, NHS England Chief Executive, said:

It is fantastic to see more than 29,000 staff join our general practice workforce since 2019, a year ahead of the government target, following NHS recruitment campaigns with these new staff including mental health practitioners, social prescribers and pharmacists offering people expert care and advice at their local practice.

Thanks to these new GP teams record numbers of appointments are being delivered, with the latest figures showing that more than 31 million appointments took place in March 2023 – up almost a third compared to pre-pandemic.

The increase in primary care staff has enabled Mitesh – a pharmacist working in GP surgeries – to deliver approximately 100 appointments a week, helping assist GP staff with medication queries and carrying out reviews of patients with long-term health conditions and structured medicine reviews, which help maximise the benefit of medication.

Some GP teams have expanded to include dedicated care coordinators like Gill, who works with voluntary and care home services to provide support to patients with life-limiting conditions and release valuable time for GPs.

There are now thousands more care coordinators, working in general practices, ensuring all services are talking to each other about local, often frail and older patients and making sure there are no gaps in the support and care provided.

Care coordinators also offer patients more time so that GPs can see patients who are clinically unwell. With care coordinators, patients have the opportunity to go into more detail about their concerns, knowing that they will be raised with a GP if necessary.

Other examples of how better care has been provided include the recruitment of mental health practitioners in the North East and Yorkshire region which has meant increased access to mental health services closer to home for patients and a shorter waiting period. GP appointments are now freed up as patients do not have to repeatedly see a GP and patients are seen and treated by clinicians sooner.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 17 May 2023.

The What Good Looks Like framework and digital skills framework will support staff, providers and local authorities to benefit from new technology.

• Social care professionals to be supported to develop digital skills and drive digital transformation across the sector
• Guidance will set standard for digital transformation of adult social care in providing quality care
• People at home and in care settings to be better supported to reduce hospital admissions through new technology

Social care employers will be better able to equip their staff with the skills required to benefit from new technologies, enhancing patient care and providing staff with career development opportunities, thanks to new guidance published today.

To complement this, guidance for care providers and local authorities has also been issued, to set a standard for care and support settings when switching to using digital technology, such as virtual 24/7 monitoring centres to provide quick and instantaneous support.

For those working in adult social care, the digital skills framework will provide a structure in which new skills can be developed. This will ensure innovative technology is being put to the best possible use to enhance care, for example systems that allow a care professional to access a resident’s information from GP records through a digital social care record, to support their care from hospital to home.

Staff will be given training on how to use the technology which will include virtual care centres – where people drawing on care can access a care worker virtually for help and reassurance 24/7. This will give those needing care more autonomy and independence in their own homes by eliminating the need for reoccurring or overnight checks.

In some cases, care settings may choose to use the new structure to support staff in implementing new artificial intelligence (AI) monitoring technology which helps to reduce falls by tracking the movements of those receiving care.

The guidance covers 7 key themes including using and managing data, how to use technology for person-centred care and supporting a culture of good practice in using technology for personalised care.

Minister for Care Helen Whately said:

Technology embedded into care and support can be transformative both for people who need care and staff in the sector.

Innovative technology in care settings improves care and can increase the time that care workers spend with the people they care for.

The guidance and standards published today will give social care staff the support they need to improve their digital capabilities.

Sonia Patel, System Chief Information Officer at NHS England, said:

This new guidance is a significant step in ensuring our digital ‘north star’ is clear in all health and care settings, helping reduce health inequalities in every community in England. We’ve worked closely with social care colleagues to provide the What Good Looks Like guidance for adult social care, building on the framework we’ve already published for integrated care systems and providers which we’ll be updating later this year.

Alongside the digital skills framework, guidance for care providers and local authorities has also been published targeted at those who have a responsibility for digital transformation in local areas – such as digital leads, directors of adult social services, commissioners and service managers.

Developed with support from the Local Government Authority (LGA) and the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) (who are Partners in Care and Health as well as sector stakeholders), the What Good Looks Like guidance encourages smart foundations and safe practice of technology in care settings so the right technology can be used to benefit local people.

Professor Vic Rayner OBE, Chief Executive of the National Care Forum, said:

The delivery of great quality, safe and person-centred care is the number one priority for all care providers. Digital approaches to the delivery of care should complement this work of care professionals and many innovative providers are already leading the way in driving this digital transformation, supported by teams who are digitally skilled and confident.

The publication of both the digital skills framework as well as the What Good Looks Like guidance will be essential resources in the journey towards ensuring all providers and people who receive care and support services can benefit from a digitised adult social care sector.

Councillor David Fothergill, chair of the LGA’s Community Wellbeing Board, said:

This guidance is designed to support local authorities and care providers of all sizes and types to modernise and improve the way they deliver care, such as expanded social care record systems in their areas. It will help support staff and put in place a better system that frees up more time for care.

Digitising social care is one of the key components of the Partners in Care and Health programme, delivered in partnership by the LGA and ADASS. It aims to help councils to improve the way they deliver adult social care, through developing and sharing best practice, providing support and building connections.

What Good Looks Like gives organisations and local authorities a standard to meet when seeking opportunities to modernise and improve the quality of care in their area through technology interventions such as the digital care record.

The guidance builds on the NHS England What Good Looks Like framework which provides clear guidance across 7 success measures for health and care leaders to digitise, connect and transform services safely and securely.

It provides a series of common goals to work towards that will help achieve the vision set out in People at the Heart of Care. It is an aspirational framework designed to be used by local authorities and care providers of all sizes and types of service, including both Care Quality Commission (CQC) registered and non-registered providers.

Digitising social care is part of the government’s recently published Next Steps to Put People at the Heart of Care plan to reform social care and improve the lives of the 10 million people who draw on, work in or provide, care and support.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 17 May 2023.

The major conditions call for evidence has been launched for views on how best to prevent, diagnose, treat and manage the 6 major conditions.

• Call for evidence launched to inform strategy on how best to prevent, diagnose and manage 6 major groups of conditions
• Major conditions strategy will cover cancer, mental health and dementia
• Strategy will take long-term view of how to improve health service for conditions putting most strain on NHS

A call for evidence has been launched to invite views on how best to prevent, early diagnose, treat and manage the 6 major groups of conditions which drive ill health and contribute to the burden of disease in the population in England.

The 6 major health conditions – cancer, cardiovascular diseases including stroke and diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases, dementia, mental ill health and musculoskeletal disorders – affect millions of people in England with data showing that one in 4 suffer from 2 or more of these major long-term conditions.

Recognising the pressure these conditions are putting on the NHS, the government is seeking views on a new strategy to tackle them that will focus not only on treatment but also on prevention.

Launched today, the major conditions strategy: call for evidence will inform a landmark major conditions strategy and recognising the country’s ageing population, it will help people to stay in better health for longer.

Those suffering from one or more of the conditions outlined are urged to come forward to provide insight into their experiences of managing their health needs. The government is particularly interested in hearing from those who suffer from, care for or provide treatment to people who suffer from multiple long-term conditions. This is to ensure the major conditions strategy is one that will better prevent, diagnose, manage and treat these conditions.

Contributions are also encouraged from those working in NHS bodies, local government, the voluntary and community sector, and wider industry, on how best to tackle suffering from one or more of these major conditions. Particularly, it is seeking perspectives on how government and the NHS can work better together with different organisations and sectors to improve the nation’s health.

The major conditions strategy signals the government’s intention to improve care and outcomes for those living with multiple conditions and an increasing complexity of need. For example:

• people with diabetes are twice as likely to have depression
• 9 in 10 dementia patients have another long-term condition
• half of people with a heart or lung condition have musculoskeletal disorders such as back pain

It will seek to reduce care and treatment that are too narrowly focused on specific diseases or organs in the body and consider how to treat people as a whole.

Health and Social Care Secretary, Steve Barclay, said:

Patients often live with more than one major condition, so it’s vital that we do all we can to understand how best to manage their care.

I encourage patients, carers and healthcare professionals to contribute to our call for evidence so we can ensure our major conditions strategy is as targeted and patient-focused as possible.

Minister of State for Care, Helen Whately, said:

We want to hear from as many people as possible affected by these conditions in our call for evidence. It’ll help us join up care across the NHS and mean better treatment for millions of people.

It’s also really important that we hear from professionals working in areas like dementia or cancer too. Their frontline experience will be invaluable to make sure our strategy includes plans which will really work in practice.

Samantha Benham-Hermetz, Director of Policy and Public Affairs at Alzheimer’s Research UK, said:

Since the previous dementia strategy expired in 2020, the number of people living with the condition in the UK, and the challenges they face every day, have only continued to grow. Thanks to progress in research, we’re on the cusp of a new era in dementia, with 2 new treatments for early Alzheimer’s disease showing promise in the last 6 months, and revolutionary new ways to diagnose it on the horizon. Bringing these into routine use will be challenging, and the major conditions strategy presents a huge opportunity to address these challenges and transform our health system.

It’s vital this new strategy leads to real, rapid and meaningful changes for people affected by, or at risk of, dementia. No family should ever have to go through the heartbreak of this condition, but unfortunately many more will unless we seize the opportunities our researchers are creating. We hope that by sharing their experiences and insight, people affected by dementia, their carers, and those working within the health system, can help bring about the change we all so desperately need to see.

Sarah Woolnough, Chief Executive of Asthma + Lung UK, said:

It’s encouraging to see the government taking action on respiratory diseases, such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Lung conditions are the third biggest killer in the UK, but historically haven’t received the attention they deserve, so the major conditions strategy is a big opportunity to change that.

Therefore, we want everyone with a lung condition or who works in respiratory health to come forward and have their say.

This call for evidence complements and builds on the 2 calls for evidence undertaken last year on mental health and cancer, the summaries of which have been published today and incorporates previous work looking at health disparities and dementia, while the department will be publishing a separate national suicide prevention strategy later this year.

Submissions to these previous calls for evidence will directly inform the development of the major conditions strategy, which will also examine health inequalities across England, exploring how the government can assist integrated care systems to ensure they are tackling disparities in their local areas, addressing variations in health and care.

Looking beyond the immediate pressures on the NHS, the strategy will focus on what can be delivered now as well as over the coming years to improve outcomes as the country continues to recover from the pandemic. The strategy will also build on work already done to tackle waiting lists for planned NHS treatments through the NHS elective recovery plan and unlock the next generation of medicines and diagnostics through the government’s ambitious life science missions.

The call for evidence is open for 6 weeks and will close at 11.59pm on 27 June.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 15 May 2023.

Secretary of State visits Japan for G7 health ministers’ meeting to see how technology is improving patient care and reducing the burden on staff.

• Meetings held to discuss healthcare workforce recruitment, cutting waiting times and how member states are using innovation and tech
• End of summit agreement signed on Sunday to help tackle global health issues including antimicrobial resistance, dementia and pandemic preparedness

Health and Social Care Secretary, Steve Barclay, concluded a visit to Japan today (Monday 15 May) for the G7 health ministers’ meeting, where he led discussions with international counterparts on how technology can be used to improve patient care, reduce pressure on health and social care staff and cut waiting times for patients.

During his first international summit, the Secretary of State visited Silver Wing care home in Tokyo. It uses technology such as bed sensors, robotic mobility and walking aids and interactive entertainment to reduce pressure on staff while providing better care for residents.

He saw some of the tech in action, including the mobility aids staff use to lift and move residents to and from their beds, which staff say has reduced pain in their lower backs while respecting residents’ privacy.

The Secretary of State also held one-to-one meetings with health ministers from G7 countries to discuss shared opportunities on using tech and innovation, workforce recruitment as well as cutting waiting times.

Talks between the Secretary of State and his counterparts also focussed on pandemic preparedness, tackling antimicrobial resistance (AMR) – which costs around 1.27 millon lives a year globally – and how member states are working to develop vaccines within 100 days of a pandemic threat being identified.

Speaking from Japan, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Steve Barclay, said:

Japan is pioneering the use of the latest technology and innovation in health and social care, so my visit to Nagasaki has been a great opportunity to see at first hand how this innovation helps both staff and people in care.

New technology, including artificial intelligence, has a big role to play in the NHS’s future, helping to deliver one of the government’s 5 priorities to cut waiting lists so patients get the care they need quicker.

We’re already seeing the benefits – the NHS App is being used to order more than 500,000 repeat prescriptions every week, while our £123 million investment in AI technologies is helping staff tackle issues like stroke diagnosis, cancer screening and cardiovascular monitoring.

The summit was also a vital opportunity to get round the table with health ministers from other G7 countries and commit to action to ensure we’re ready to respond to a possible future pandemic, both at home in the UK and globally with our international partners.

The Secretary of State delivered a speech at the summit in which he said new innovations will help tackle global health issues – including ageing populations and AMR. He cited as an example the UK’s world-first antibiotic subscription model – which incentivises drug companies to produce new antibiotics – which other G7 countries are looking to as something they could implement domestically.

The UK government is already taking action to implement technology across the NHS and social care. In March, the government announced nearly £16 million investment into pioneering artificial intelligence research through the AI in Health and Care Awards.

This brings the total investment to £123 million in 86 AI technologies, which stand to benefit over 300,000 patients and support the treatment of conditions including cancer, heart disease, diabetes, mental health and neurological disorders.

The 2-day G7 health ministers’ meeting finished on Sunday with member states signing an agreement on tackling shared global health challenges, including:

• better surveillance, data and information sharing to protect the world against another pandemic
• incentivising the development of new antibiotics to tackle the rising threat of AMR across the G7
• member states investing in research into dementia and future treatments

The Secretary of State also spoke at a side event on dementia in which he recognised the need for global, as well as domestic, solutions which improve knowledge and understanding of dementia, helping to drive the production of innovative treatments and medicines.

The government will soon launch a call for evidence for our Major Conditions Strategy which will cover 6 conditions: cancer, mental ill health, cardiovascular diseases, musculoskeletal disorders, chronic respiratory diseases and dementia.

The G7 health ministers’ meeting took place in Nagasaki, Japan, from Saturday 13 May to Sunday 14 May 2023.

The G7 leaders summit will take place in Hiroshima from 19 to 21 May 2023.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 15 May 2023.

New community diagnostic centres (CDCs) to open in regions across the UK, adding to the 106 centres already up and running and helping to cut NHS waiting lists.

Tens of thousands of patients across the country are set to benefit from 6 new community diagnostic centres (CDCs) opening this year – with the ‘one-stop shops’ due to deliver more than 500,000 additional tests, checks and scans a year.

Cutting waiting lists is one of the government’s key priorities and the 6 new CDCs will offer patients a wider range of diagnostic tests closer to home, reducing the need for hospital visits and getting them the care they need sooner.

Regions including the East of England, Midlands and the South East will benefit with all new centres open to patients before the end of the year – with the government investing £2.3 billion to deliver up to 160 across England by 2025.

The new centres include:

• North Lincolnshire CDC – situated in a car park in Scunthorpe town centre, the facility will offer more than 146,000 additional checks a year. This will include ultrasound checks, blood tests and CT and MRI scans
• Pitsea CDC – opening in the next few months it will provide up to 46,000 tests, checks and scans a year. Located in a retail park, it will boost the number of endoscopy rooms in the regions for cancer patients and offer potentially life-saving CT and MRI scans
• Ilkeston Community Hospital (Walton) CDC – providing more than 100,000 tests, checks and scans per year. It will be based at Walton NHS Community Hospital and give patients access to ultrasound checks, X-rays and cardiology and respiratory diagnostics
• North Solihull CDC – set to open in winter 2023, the new CDC will be based on a commercial retail site in Chelmsley Wood, North Solihull. It will offer access to MRI, CT and X-ray scans, along with cardiology and respiratory diagnostics – delivering 116,000 tests, checks and scans a year
• Hereford City CDC – opening in winter, the new CDC will be based on an NHS community hospital site in the city. It will offer MRI, CT and X-ray scans, alongside ultrasound and respiratory checks, alongside blood tests – delivering 38,000 tests, checks and scans a year
• Dartford, Gravesham and Swanley CDC – the facility, a refurbishment of Livingstone Community Hospital in Dartford, will offer access to ultrasound checks, blood tests, along with CT and MRI scans. Opening in autumn 2023, it will deliver over 96,000 tests, checks and scans

Following a referral from a GP or consultant, patients will be able to get their symptoms checked much closer to home and receive a diagnosis for a range of conditions such as cancer and heart or lung disease, rather than travelling to hospital. This is not only more convenient for patients, it is also more efficient for staff and will free up clinician time to help further cut the waiting lists.

So far, 106 CDCs are open across England, including 3 temporary sites, in a variety of settings including shopping centres and university campuses, and the CDC programme has delivered over 3.8 million additional tests, checks and scans since July 2021. Thirty-two other facilities are due to open before the end of the year.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said:

I have pledged to cut waiting lists and these new community diagnostic centres will do exactly that. By offering checks, tests and scans closer to home, we can speed up the diagnosis of illnesses like cancer and heart disease and ensure patients get their treatment quickly.

These centres revolutionise the way the NHS delivers care and crucially, they are saving lives.

Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said:

We know early diagnosis and treatment leads to better outcomes for patients, which is why these centres are so vital.

Based in the heart of communities, they are making it easier for people to access life-saving checks and cutting out unnecessary hospital visits.

They have already made a huge difference, delivering nearly 4 million tests, checks and scans since the programme started in July 2021, helping to deliver on the government’s commitment to cut waiting lists.

Dr Vin Diwakar, NHS Medical Director for Transformation, said:

The NHS delivered a record 2.3 million diagnostic tests in March, up more than 128,000 on the previous monthly record, thanks to the hard work and dedication of our staff.

These new CDCs will continue to increase access to care by providing vital scans, X-rays, endoscopies and blood tests closer to patients’ homes, building on the progress we have already made to drive down the longest waits and diagnose cancer earlier.

As a result of this, and wider measures, the government successfully met the first target in its elective recovery plan to virtually eliminate waits of over 2 years and has cut 18 month waits by over 91% from the peak in September 2021.

Further action to cut waiting lists and offer patients quicker access to healthcare include the government’s publication of its primary care recovery plan, which will:

• get rid of the 8am rush for GP appointments
• enable patients to get prescriptions and medication directly from a pharmacy without a GP appointment
• free up around 15 million GP appointments over the next 2 years
• improve patient access to their own medical records through the NHS App

The press release issued by the Department for Health on 9 May 2023.

Patients, or carers of patients, who carry Emerade 300 or 500 microgram adrenaline auto-injector pens should contact their GP and obtain a prescription for, and be supplied with an alternative brand. They should then return their Emerade 300 or 500 microgram pens to their local pharmacy.

Patients, or carers of patients, who carry Emerade 300 or 500 microgram adrenaline auto-injector pens should immediately contact their GP to obtain a prescription for, and be supplied with two auto-injectors of a different brand. Pharmacists and pharmacy teams can also help with obtaining new prescriptions and dispensing of new pens. Patients or carers should then return all Emerade 300 and 500 micrograms auto-injectors to their local pharmacy.

Patients should only return their Emerade pens when they have received a replacement from their pharmacy which will be an alternative brand – either EpiPen or Jext. They should ensure they know how to use the replacement pen, as each brand of pen works differently. Patients should ask their doctor, pharmacist, or nurse for help with this. Instructions are included inside the pack, along with details of the manufacturer’s website that also provides information, including videos, on how to use a new EpiPen or Jext adrenaline pen.

This precautionary recall is because some 300 microgram and 500 microgram Emerade auto-injector pens may rarely fail to activate if they are dropped, meaning a dose of adrenaline would not be delivered. Premature activation has also been detected in some of the 300 microgram and 500 microgram pens after they have been dropped, meaning that a dose of adrenaline is delivered too early.

The activation failure and premature activation was detected during a design assessment conducted by the manufacturer and therefore means there is a potential for some 300 microgram and 500 microgram Emerade pens to fail during use after having been dropped.

Dr Alison Cave, MHRA Chief Safety Officer, said:

Patient safety is our top priority.

We are taking prompt action to protect patients, following detection of damage to internal components of the Emerade pens if they are dropped, which may mean they activate too early or fail to activate and deliver adrenaline.

The Department for Health and Social Care has confirmed that there are appropriate supplies of EpiPen or Jext adrenaline pens available for patients across the UK, however, patients will need to request a new prescription.

Patients are reminded to carry two pens with them at all times as normal and to contact their healthcare professional when a replacement is due.

Further information for patients and carers on what to do if they suspect anaphylaxis is available on the MHRA’s Adrenaline Auto-Injectors (AAIs) safety campaign.

Additional information

1. Exposure to high temperature may increase the risk of pen failure. Emerade pens should not be exposed to temperatures above 25°C, such as being placed near to a radiator or fire. If travelling to a hot climate, patients should visit their doctor to obtain a prescription for an alternative brand of adrenaline pen.

2. Emerade pens that are dropped or vigorously handled may fail to activate or may prematurely activate. General advice states that users should inspect the pen if dropped and replace if they notice damage or leakage. This recall considers that damage within some pens may not be visible and therefore a precautionary patient-level recall is being carried out.

3. If an Emerade pen does need to be used, it should be pressed very firmly against the thigh. If this does not result in activation, the patient should immediately use their second pen. More detailed information for patients is available on the MHRA website. This includes images showing users what an activated pen looks like, compared to a non-activated pen.

4. Training videos on how to use the 0.15mg EpiPen and 0.3mg EpiPen and Jext 150 pen and 300 pen are available on the respective manufacturers’ websites.

5. Since May 2021, there have been no Yellow Card reports of Emerade 300 microgram or 500 microgram pens prematurely activating or failing to activate.

The press release issued by the Department for Health and Social Care on 8 May 2023.

Action to make it easier for patients to contact their GP and end the 8am rush, with £240 million given to practices across England to embrace latest technology.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 5 May 2023.

The offer of a first or second dose of Covid vaccine will end on 30 June 2023 for most people.

• The offer of a first and second dose of Covid vaccine for those at lower risk of severe illness will end on 30 June 2023
• There are eight weeks left for people who are completely unvaccinated to get their first and second doses
• Around 40 million adults across England have already come forward for both doses

People who have not yet come forward for their first and/ or second dose of the Covid vaccine are being encouraged to get their jabs before the offer ends on Friday 30 June.

The NHS’s world-leading vaccination programme has so far delivered over 146 million Covid jabs, helping to save tens of thousands of lives, protect the most vulnerable from serious illness and allowed us to resume our normal lives without restrictions.

For people aged 18 and over, there is an 8-week interval requirement between receiving a first and second dose of Covid vaccine. Appointments can be booked easily online, by calling 119, or people can visit one of the hundreds of walk-in vaccination sites open across the country.

Building on the success of autumn and spring booster programmes, a seasonal, targeted vaccination offer will remain open for those most at risk, in line with advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). This will help to focus efforts and ensure the most efficient use of NHS resources as we work to cut the backlogs and reduce waiting times.

Health Minister Maria Caulfield said:

As we live with Covid without restrictions on our freedoms, it is right that we move towards a more targeted vaccination offer that prioritises those most at risk, so we can focus our efforts on cutting waiting lists for NHS treatment – one of the Prime Minister’s top five priorities.

As the offer for any adult to get a Covid vaccine comes to an end on 30 June, I would urge those who have not yet come forward to choose to have the first and second Covid vaccine. It takes minutes to get your jab and thousands of sites are open across England.

Vaccines are our best line of defence against the virus. I’ve stayed up to date with mine – it’s quick and easy so I would urge you to do the same before the offer closes.

This year’s spring booster programme continues to gather pace, with over two million eligible people receiving their vital top-up dose.  Roving NHS vaccination teams have been visiting care homes across the country since 3 April, with eligible people living in the community accessing the jab since 17 April. The spring campaign will end on 30 June – the same day the offer of a first or second jab ends.

The JCVI advised the risk of serious illness with Covid continues to be disproportionately greater in those from older age groups, residents in care homes for older adults, and persons with certain underlying health conditions.

NHS Director of Vaccinations and Screening Steve Russell said:

The fastest and largest vaccination programme in NHS history has delivered more than 146 million Covid jabs since it began, including more than 45 million first doses, but now it is right as we learn to live with covid, that we move to targeted seasonal campaigns to protect the most vulnerable.

With the existing offer of a first and second dose for everyone set to end alongside the current spring campaign, everyone aged 18 and over who is unvaccinated must come forward for their primary course by the end of June to receive protection.

The vaccines are safe, effective, and the best way to boost your protection from serious illness caused by covid – so please do come forward for your dose of protection.

Dr Mary Ramsay, Head of Immunisation at the UK Health Security Agency, said:

The Covid vaccines have enabled us to live with the virus thanks to the protection they have given the millions >of people who have come forward to date.

Getting the vaccine remains the best way to avoid severe illness and it can increase your protection even if you have previously had the virus. It only takes a few minutes and I encourage anyone who has not yet done so to come forward before the offer ends.

Should a person move into an at-risk group, the offer of a first or second dose will re-open with the seasonal booster programmes.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 4 May 2023.

The government, NHS England and the pharmaceutical industry will begin negotiating the successor to the voluntary scheme for branded medicines, pricing and access (VPAS).

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 27 April 2023.

There are over 1.27 million full-time equivalent staff working in NHS trusts and commissioning bodies in England.