Practice red tape has been slashed as the NHS launches a nationwide campaign to escalate the booster vaccine programme in the face of the threat from the omicron virus.

Students, soldiers and clinicians working in administrative roles are being pressed into action to support the campaign to administer COVID booster vaccines over the next two months. NHS England put out a call for volunteers as it reached a deal with general practice over supporting the booster campaign. The deal was backed by health secretary Sajid Javid, who circulated a letter praising practice staff and seeking to bridge the breach cause by the row over appointments.

The extent of the threat from the omicron variant remained unclear over the weekend as UK infection rates remained steady in spite of new restrictions. Yesterday 43,992 new cases of infection and 54 new deaths were reported. Infections in South African peaked at 16,366 over the weekend but yesterday the country reported just one death from the virus.

NHS England sought to respond to concern about practice capacity by suspending monitoring of many Quality and Outcomes Framework targets until next April. It has not suspended targets for vaccination or cervical screening. The Care Quality Commission said it would also continue to keep routine inspections in suspension.

Royal College of GPs vice chair Dr Gary Howsam said: “These are sensible, temporary measures that will address some of the bureaucratic demands on practices and have minimal impact on the care patients receive in general practice, allowing GPs and our teams to focus their efforts where currently most clinically necessary. We hope these measures will support Primary Care Networks to get involved in delivering the expanded booster campaign, if they are not already and feel it is safe to do so.”

BMA GP committee chair Dr Farah Jameel said: “With a finite number of staff and hours in the day, and while GPs and their teams will want to step up and do all they can in the midst of this national emergency, there must be a recognition that they cannot do everything for everyone all of the time. Today’s changes begin to recognise this, and we hope that, by removing some of the more bureaucratic and target-based requirements within practices’ contracts, that staff’s time can be freed up to get more jabs into arms, while allowing practices to focus on patients who need their attention the most.”

The Department of Health claimed yesterday that 20 million people have now received a third dose of vaccine. Writing to practices, Mr Javid said: “Primary care teams are at the heart of our nation’s pandemic response, and I am grateful for the tremendous efforts primary care has made over the past year to deliver a world-leading vaccination programme under the strains and pressures of a global pandemic. Your continued care for your patients is outstanding and I want to thank you again for your ongoing support in delivering this expanded vaccination programme, which will allow us to move out of this pandemic. It is the best way to protect people and save tens of thousands of lives.”