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 ensure that housebound patients can receive covid-19 vaccinations and boosters at home.

For patients who usually receive their treatment at home and are considered to be housebound, general practitioners (GPs) and community teams will determine the best approach to vaccination, based on their knowledge of the patient and their circumstances. Some patients may be able to attend a Primary Care Network (PCN) designated site with assistance and a discussion should be held with the patient’s family and/or carer to facilitate this.

Where a GP practice participates in the Enhanced Service for the COVID-19 vaccination programme, the practice should make provision for booster doses for to be given to patients who are housebound and are unable to attend a PCN site. Where a practice is not part of the Enhanced Service, the practice should contact their local clinical commissioning group to make alternative arrangements for such patients via another PCN grouping. PCNs have also established mobile vaccination teams, which are aimed at those who are unable to leave their homes. NHS England and NHS Improvement have also introduced a range of measures to support GP practices to increase capacity, from additional workforce availability to increases in the supplement paid for booster vaccinations of housebound patients.