Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to support elderly people to book appointments for covid-19 vaccination (a) online, (b) on the phone and (c) by other means.

Prior to booking an appointment, a letter, email or text will be sent to those who are eligible in line with the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation’s advice on prioritisation.

In the letter, email or text, these individuals will be invited to book an appointment online via the national booking system. For those, including the elderly and other groups who may struggle with making bookings online, it is possible for bookings to be made on someone else’s behalf. Additionally, appointments can also be booked over the phone by calling 119. Follow up calls may be made by the NHS Immunisation Management Service for those who have received a letter but not booked an appointment to see if any further help and support is required.