MP urges Health Secretary to deploy pharmacies to help with vaccine roll out

This morning, South Lakes MP Tim Farron has written to the Health Secretary calling for the Government to use high-street pharmacies to administer the COVID-19 vaccine.

It comes as the Pharmaceutical Negotiating Service Committee (PNSC), which represent pharmacies during talks with the Government, say that their offer to help with the roll out has been met with "de facto silence".

The PNSC say that there are around 11,400 pharmacies across the country that already administer millions of flu jabs every year, with the capability to vaccinate around 1.3million people against COVID-19 every week.

In a letter to the Secretary of State, Tim said: "Pharmacies have the staff, the skills, the space and the storage needed to play a pivotal role here.

"I'm sure that you are aware more than anyone of just how critical the need to roll out the vaccine as quickly as possible is in ending this crisis and ultimately saving lives and livelihoods.

"I urge your Department to please think again and deploy pharmacies to administer the vaccine - the lives of many are counting on it."