Overview

• Community pharmacy leaders say poor communication and a self-declaration booking system are sending ineligible patients to appointments that must be refused.
• NHS England says vaccinators will check entitlement at the consultation and urges people to verify eligibility before using the National Booking Service.
• The Independent Pharmacies Association reports instances of shouting and objects thrown at staff and calls the tightened criteria a false economy after last winter’s hospital pressures.
• People outside the NHS eligibility groups can pay about £100 for a private Covid jab at pharmacies.
• UKHSA data show Covid hospitalisations rose to 2.73 per 100,000 last week from 1.71 at the end of August, with officials reporting no current evidence that newer variants cause more severe disease.