Portsmouth South MP Stephen Morgan calls on government for more transparency over Covid-19 vaccination supply

Portsmouth South MP Stephen Morgan has written to health secretary Matt Hancock.

He is asking the government to commit to providing detail on the numbers of people being vaccinated in each local authority area.

Mr Morgan also wants details of the supply available. If nothing is forthcoming, he wants clear reasons over why the data is not being shared.

It comes after GPs in Portsmouth were said to be feeling ‘frustrations’ over the supply and delivery of Covid-19 vaccines.

In his letter Mr Morgan said: ‘I write to urge you to provide greater transparency on Covid vaccination supply, progress with vaccination and to express disappointment in your handling of my questions on this matter.

‘While I am delighted to say that the number of vaccinations given by hard-working staff are recorded nationally on a weekly basis, no further details are published.

‘I am in regular contact with NHS staff, who are unable to say for certain whether supplies will be maintained and when they will be delivered.

‘There have been reports in the national press that doses are being diverted from areas that are progressing more quickly with the first priority group to areas that have not.

‘A government minister told LBC that the government will not publish vaccine supply information for “security reasons” - but failed to explain what that means.

‘I hope you will agree that greater clarity is needed to allow staff on the ground to plan ahead, and to reassure those in priority groups and beyond that they will be inoculated in due course.’

SEE ALSO: Portsmouth pharmacy starts giving Covid-19 vaccine but bosses stress only those with an appointment should attend

More than 227,000 vaccinations have been now completed in the Hampshire and Isle of Wight area.

This includes more than 85 per cent of over 80s receiving their first jab, and just over 16 per cent of over-80s getting their second dose.

As reported, Simon Cooper, director of medicines optimisation and director of primary care for the NHS Portsmouth CCG spoke at the primary care commissioning committee on Thursday.

He said: ‘Some frustrations coming out of the vaccine supply chain is that we don’t get notification of formalised delivery until quite late.

‘We end up with the potential that we don’t have a vaccination service and then we cannot easily switch back to business as usual because stepping that up with short notice is difficult.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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