Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to encourage older people to attend primary care services to receive vaccinations.

Throughout the COVID-19 response, general practices (GPs) have been encouraged to continue to deliver as much routine and preventative work as can be provided safely, including vaccinations and screening appointments, as well as supporting their more high-risk patients with ongoing care needs. GPs re-opened fully from 1 July to patients who should now be able to access services by phone, online or in person.

GPs are expected to actively offer patients aged 70 years and over the shingles vaccine. There is also a catch-up programme available for individuals aged 78 or 79 years and the programme has been extended to include individuals who may have turned 80 years during lockdown. Where feasible and where vaccine stock is available, GPs were also advised to seek to identify and offer Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine (PPV23) to those eligible.