NHS England has explained its winter vaccination plans after facing criticism for delaying the main programme until October.

It said it wants practices and pharmacies to focus on seeking to deliver joint flu and COVID vaccination to ensure eligible patients get both vaccines. It wants services to focus on vaccinating children against flu in September, mostly by means of nasal vaccination.

It said that starting adult flu and COVID vaccination at the same time would make it easier for patients to choose to have both at the same visit. It says that flu vaccinations that are already booked can go ahead. It said there is enough capacity for all vaccines to be delivered by mid-December.

The British Medical Association had said the proposed delays are causing widespread confusion .

NHS England deputy chief medical officer Dr Thomas Waite said: “Administering vaccines to children in September and adults in October will protect people throughout the winter months. Healthcare workers continue to go above and beyond to deliver the flu and COVID vaccination programme and I’d like to thank everyone who has and will support its rollout.”

Dr Mary Ramsay, Director of Public Health Programmes at the UK Health Security Agency, said: “We know that flu and COVID usually hit hardest in December and January so it s vital those at greatest risk of getting seriously ill get the best possible protection from the vaccines over this period.”

Dr Katie Bramall-Stainer, chair of the British Medical Association’s GP committee for England, said: “This news is very welcome, coming after the BMA made clear yesterday to NHS England that shifting the entire programme at the last minute to October would not only cause widespread confusion, but also serious disruption as flu clinics would have to be rearranged to fit the new timetable. Today’s update, however, means that any flu clinics scheduled for September will go ahead and that, most importantly, no pre-booked appointments will need to be cancelled and deferred. Eligible patients who have been invited for a flu vaccine in September will get it, which is vital to keeping them safe during the winter months.

“While this is a step in the right direction, NHS England is yet to address the funding cut for delivering Covid-19 vaccines, which is forcing practices into a position where they might not be able to offer it this year. All GPs and their teams want to do is protect their patients, but not giving us the resources to do that makes it incredibly difficult. We have raised this with the Minister for vaccines, and hope a way forward can be found as quickly as possible.”