Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the number of housebound people eligible for a covid-19 booster jab; and what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the booster rollout reaches people who are housebound.

No specific estimate has been made. The identification of those who are housebound is managed at a local level as it requires access to detailed patient information. General practitioners determine the best approach to vaccination alongside community teams, based on their knowledge of the individual patient’s circumstances. For those unable to leave their homes, Primary Care Networks (PCNs) have established mobile or roving vaccination teams.

To ensure housebound patients receive a home visit, National Health Service regions, PCNs and community pharmacy-led local vaccination services are monitoring progress and identifying whether further interventions are required to increase uptake of all doses, including boosters, to those who are housebound.