Thousands of housebound people face booster jab wait

Michael Gorman said people like his wife feel "very worried" about having to wait for their booster jab

Thousands of vulnerable housebound people in Birmingham are still waiting for Covid booster jabs.

The Birmingham Community Healthcare (BCHC) NHS Foundation Trust said there are 5,700 people, who cannot leave their homes, yet to receive the top-up vaccination.

Some say they've been struggling to access the service.

BCHC has asked for patience while it gets to grips with the amount of home visits being requested.

Michael Gorman lives at Maypole with his wife Charlotte, who suffered a stroke earlier this year.

He said he told his local vaccination centre his wife was housebound and was advised to contact his GP, because it did not carry out house visits.

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His GP practice then put him on a waiting list he said, but when the nurse arrived to give her the flu jab, she was told they did not also give the Covid booster.

Mr Gorman said: "We then had five or six text messages asking her to go for her booster jab, plus a written letter.

"I contacted the surgery again and one of the nurse's told me that Charlotte was on the list, but she was one of 6,000 people in the Birmingham area waiting for visits."

"This to me is pretty unbelievable. These people are housebound and very vulnerable, and feel very worried.

"Obviously we have people come and see us, family and friends, and they can no longer come if there's a risk. She's had her first two jabs and now she feels she needs the booster jab to be safe."

'Jabs before Christmas'

A BCHC spokesperson said: "The majority of housebound people received their first and second vaccines in the first half of 2021 and that presents the challenge that most are due for their booster at around the same time.

"We are making progress and are confident that the steps we are currently taking will bring about an acceleration in the programme in the coming weeks."

And it added: "Our aim is that everyone who has been referred to us will receive a home visit for their booster before Christmas."