Current status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 28 October 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has carried out regarding whether, at its commencement, its COVID-19 and flu vaccination programme for winter 2025-26 was fully resourced with regard to staffing and vaccine availability.
Territorial Health Boards are responsible for assessing and planning for the workforce required to deliver their programme locally. Scotland’s winter vaccination programme for Covid-19 and flu is delivered as part of the Scottish Vaccination and Immunisation Programme (SVIP), which is a partnership between Scottish Government, Public Health Scotland and Health Boards. This supports appropriate workforce planning for operational delivery.
NHS National Services Scotland (NSS) Procurement is responsible for the management and logistics in relation to the Scotland’s vaccine stocks. COVID-19 and childhood flu LAIV vaccine supplies are procured on a 4 nations basis by UKHSA on our behalf, and adult flu vaccine supplies are procured on a Scotland-only basis by NSS. An SVIP Expert Advisory Group is convened, as necessary, to consider stock amounts required each year to meet need and uptake level.
There are sufficient vaccine supplies for the flu and COVID programme this winter and all supplies were made available prior to programme launch.