The NHS in Cornwall have said that they are working on how to ensure hard to reach groups can access Covid-19 vaccinations.

Councillors at Cornwall’s health and adult social care overview and scrutiny committee heard an update from chief nursing officer for NHS Kernow, Natalie Jones.

“We are planning to establish a group to look at those hard to reach groups like those who are homeless or travellers,” she said.

Councillors heard that 94 per cent of people in Cornwall within the priority group receiving vaccines – the over-70s and clinically, extremely vulnerable – had now received their first vaccine and are in the process of receiving their second jabs.

The chief nursing officer said that the aim was to have people over the age of 50 or clinically vulnerable get their first vaccine by the middle of April.

Councillor Barbara Ellenbroek said that she had been concerned to see reports on social media that people who were not in the priority groups had been able to book vaccinations online and get them at the mass centres such as Stithians and the Royal Cornwall showground.

Mrs Jones said that while people might be able to book a vaccination by ticking boxes which do not apply to them on the online booking system, they would not be given a vaccination if they then went to a centre.

She said anyone going to the centres would be checked and if they were not in the relevant cohort then they would be turned away.

“The national booking system does rely on people being honest when booking, when they tick things about being in a particular cohort they can get through. But if people turn up at Stithians with a booking they have to identify themselves and that will be checked to ensure they are eligible. If they are not they will not get a vaccine.

“It is causing some difficulty for people at the vaccination centres.”

By local democracy reporter Richard Whitehouse