Portsmouth GP is investigated after taking 300 Covid vaccines from surgery to be given out elsewhere

The doctor, who works in a city practice, is understood to have admitted taking the shots from a practice which was authorised to give jabs as part of the NHS’s vaccine rollout.

Because they are believed to have been given to people in non-clinical surroundings, there have been concerns raised that the vaccines may not work properly as they may not have been at the correct temperature.

Portsmouth Clinical Commissioning Group, which oversees GP surgeries in the city, has had to contact anyone who received one of these doses.

It says it has now done so, so everyone who needs to be contacted has been – a total of just under 300 people.

A spokesperson for NHS Portsmouth CCG said: ‘These vaccinations were given by a GP outside of an NHS-approved vaccination site. While there is no reason to suggest that people vaccinated at this site are at any increased risk, we are acting on advice from Public Health England and contacting them to offer an additional vaccination as a precaution.’

The spokesperson said that nobody who has received a vaccine at an official site needs to be concerned.

Public Health England confirmed it was advising the CCG but would not comment further.

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Healthwatch Portsmouth chairperson Roger Batterbury said: ‘We understand that this is a recent occurrence and that Portsmouth CCG has now contacted all patients who had reportedly received the vaccine from the particular GP from outside of an NHS vaccination site.

‘Healthwatch Portsmouth has been fully supporting the Covid-19 vaccination programme being run by the NHS and provided information on Friday, July 23 on our website www.healthwatchportsmouth.co.uk giving details of the designated NHS vaccination sites in Portsmouth that were inviting the public to come along (with no appointment necessary) to receive their Covid-19 vaccination during the remainder of July.

‘Vaccines against Covid-19 are still recommended by the NHS and the public are being encouraged to have them if possible.

‘We understand that the main Portsmouth Clinical Commissioning Group phone number (023 9289 9500) will be able to take calls from anyone affected.’