Coronavirus: Vaccination

(asked on 11th May 2021) - View Source

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the cancellation of second covid-19 vaccinations by the national booking system has led to second vaccinations being delayed beyond the recommended 12 weeks; and on how many occasions that has occurred.


Answered by
Nadhim Zahawi Portrait
Nadhim Zahawi
This question was answered on 18th May 2021

Established systems and procedures are in place to ensure that second doses can be easily booked. The National Immunisation Management System (NIMS) is the centralised service for the management of the COVID-19 programme established by NHS England. If an individual is invited for a COVID-19 vaccination via a general practitioner (GP) and once the patient has a vaccination, this information is entered into the patients’ GP record and it is also recorded on the NIMS. A second vaccination appointment can then be offered to the patient by the National Health Service in the following 12-week period, in line with national guidance. The system keeps a record of everyone who has been invited and sends reminders via text or letter to anyone who has not been vaccinated, or who has not booked an appointment through the National Booking System.

Vaccine supplies have already been set aside to ensure that everyone who has already received their first dose will receive their second dose and this will be within 12 weeks of their first. There are currently no delays in the administration of the second dose of the vaccine. Where a patient has been invited to book their own appointment, they will also be required to book their second appointment 11 to 12 weeks on from the first. Vaccinations will be recorded on the NIMS and corresponding updates sent to GP systems.

NHS England’s guidance states that all vaccination centres should ensure that all second dose appointments are booked in by the twelfth week after the first dose.

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