NHS begins offering flu jabs to homeless people

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Jabs will be offered to those sleeping rough or using homeless hostels or night shelters.

Pop-up clinics and mobile vans will also be set up in rough-sleeping hotspots, NHS England said.

Keep Our NHS Public co-chair Dr John Puntis said: “Homeless people are vulnerable to influenza and its complications so that the announcement by the Starmer government in June that there would be an immunisation programme for this group was welcome.

“Like all other routine immunisations on the UK national schedule, flu jabs are free of charge to eligible patients.

“The difficulty will be in identifying, contacting and then giving the vaccine to a dispersed group, many of whom are not registered with a GP.

“The programme is overseen by NHS England which is soon to be abolished. Responsibility will then fall on the Integrated Care Boards, currently overwhelmed by massive job cuts and financial pressures.

“GPs are incentivised to deliver immunisations by the costs of providing the service being covered. Rural practices without local authority or charitable assistance in providing pop-up clinics may struggle with this roll out.”

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) advised in June that NHS flu jabs should be made available to homeless people.

A month later, on his first day in Number 10, Andy Burnham also vowed to end rough sleeping.

He said: “Nobody should have to sleep rough, but while people are on the streets, we have a duty to keep them safe.

“This NHS initiative will provide vital vaccinations, protecting some of the most vulnerable people from potentially deadly infections.

“We are delivering for people in crisis now, while changing the system for the long term so everyone has a route off the streets for good.”

Dr Amanda Doyle, NHS national director for primary care and community services, said: “Winter hits particularly hard for people experiencing homelessness, who can face greater health risks from flu and other respiratory viruses.”

Health Secretary Yvette Cooper said: “No-one should face flu, pneumonia or other serious illness this winter, simply because they don’t have a safe place to call home.”

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