NICOLA Sturgeon has been told to prevent any “postcode lottery” over the Covid-19 vaccine as opponents have raised fears over a lack of local delivery plans for the jags.
The Pfizer vaccine was rolled out in Scotland from Tuesday, with health workers the first to receive the protection. As of Friday, around 9,000 people in Scotland had received the vaccine.
But the Scottish Conservatives have demanded action from ministers to draw up local plans and provide data for each area to ensure the programme remains on track.
The Scottish Government has labelled the claims “irresponsible”, adding that delivery planning by NHS boards is “well underway”.
Tory health spokesperson, Donald Cameron, has today penned a letter to Health Secretary Jeane Freeman - calling for the publication of health board delivery plans and updates on the number of people vaccinated in each local area.
READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon warns over vaccine supply 'uncertainties'
Weekly updates on the vaccination rollout will be published from Wednesday.
Scottish Conservative MSPs have written to each health board seeking answers but responses have been “sluggish and incomplete,” according to Mr Cameron.
In his letter, Mr Cameron has also reiterated calls for answers to dozens of basic questions that the government has so far not answered with almost 60 parliamentary questions still awaiting a response from ministers.
Mr Cameron, said: “The publication of health board Covid vaccine delivery plans would go a long way to preventing a postcode lottery, like we saw occur with the flu jab shambles earlier this year.
“Opposition MSPs seeking to scrutinise plans and get answers for their constituents are struggling to get information from the SNP and health boards.”
READ MORE: Precautionary warning after allergic reactions linked to Covid jab
He added: “The answers we do get are frequently sluggish and incomplete. The public needs to know every detail has been covered. Secrecy will not benefit anyone.
“Teething problems with the Covid vaccine must be sorted quickly or they risk spiralling and hampering efforts to fight back against this pandemic.”
Scottish Conservative MSPs wrote to all health boards for reassurance over their coronavirus vaccine delivery plan, but the party claims no health board appears to have published their plan.
The First Minister has insisted that “our vaccine roll-out plans are very well developed”, adding that “the vaccine programme has got off to a good and strong start”.
She added: “I thank everyone who has been involved in ensuring that the programme got off to a positive start, because we know that this is a major undertaking in which there are significant logistical challenges.”
But Ms Sturgeon has warned there are “uncertainties” about the supply of vaccines into next year – but officials are assuming 75 per cent of the population will receive the jag during the programme.
The First Minster has also indicated that everyone on the priority list down to those aged 50 should be vaccinated by the spring and the plans remain on track.
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “This claim is unfounded and irresponsible. This is a national vaccination programme which sets out clearly the parameters within which NHS boards will lead local delivery.
“Locally, NHS boards’ own delivery planning is well underway. It is putting in place local recruitment and deployment of staff, with boards and local authority partners identifying locations that are as accessible and local as possible and securing the support that they need—including the national support that we are receiving from the armed services—to set up and manage local centres in a Covid-safe way.
“The First Minister gave an update on numbers of vaccinations on Thursday at FMQs and the Scottish Government will publish weekly updates on the vaccination programme, from next Wednesday onwards.
“This week MSPs were provided with the latest guidance on our Covid-19 vaccine delivery plans, and the Health Secretary has offered to provide further briefing to Mr Cameron and other party spokespeople.”
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