Practices could face “arbitrary” limits on vaccine numbers when they take part in a planned massive programme of booster vaccination, it has been claimed.

NHS England guidance, released yesterday, envisaged three million vaccines being delivered weekly. It followed the government receiving advice earlier this week to begin booster vaccines for the most vulnerable people in September. Patients would receive a flu and COVID vaccine simultaneously. Data revealed this week also showed that practices have dominated the COVID vaccination programme, delivering 60% of doses and offering rapid second doses to young patients.

Last night GP leaders raised concerns that the latest plans would restrict practice’s ability to deliver vaccines.

British Medical Association GP committee chair Dr Richard Vautrey said: “Given the achievements of the first round of vaccinations, it makes no sense for NHS England to suggest limiting the proportion of vaccines delivered locally by practice sites – and we’d be concerned that this will be interpreted as a cap on general practice’s involvement in the programme and placing barriers in the way of patients being vaccinated by their local, trusted surgery team. On the one hand the letter proposes a ‘pull’ model in which sites can request supplies to meet their communities’ needs – something we have persistently called for – while at the same time suggesting arbitrary limits that take no account of local variations.

“While it’s good to see a commitment to continue funding additional staff to support the programme, GPs may be concerned at further hints of a bureaucratic and restrictive approach from NHS England – something that has been far too commonplace during the pandemic, and which has caused severe frustration among family doctors and their colleagues.”

Ruth Rankine, director of primary care at the NHS Confederation, said: “With pressures rising across all parts of the NHS, we welcome the clarity this guidance provides about the booster programme. We should not, however, underestimate the amount of work needed to plan for this amid the workload providers across the system are currently facing and alongside the traditional flu vaccination programme.

“Plans to spread the load to community pharmacy and other sites are welcome, but it is disappointing not to see the role of GP Federations acknowledged, given the significant amount of work they have delivered in the current vaccination programme. Primary care providers will now need to see confirmation of the funding available to undertake the programme, as well as assurance around supplies, including guarantees that they will be available when and where they are needed at every stage, from first doses to boosters.”

Royal College of GPs chair Professor Martin Marshall said: “A booster campaign will need to be accompanied by a sustainable workforce, perhaps using trained non-clinical staff as vaccinators alongside GPs and our teams, to ensure usual services can continue as we approach what is likely to be a very busy winter for general practice.”