YORK leaders have responded to concerns that vaccine supplies could be diverted from the region to other parts of the country that have not yet vaccinated as many people in top priority groups.

A spokesperson for York’s mass vaccination site says it should not be affected, as supplies for next week have already been delivered.

But NHS England and NHS Improvement director Nikki Kanani, speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today, said deliveries would be targeted on vaccination rates.

York is “top of the league” in Yorkshire and Humber for carrying out vaccinations, a council meeting heard. More than 80 per cent of people in the top priority groups - residents aged over 80 and people in care homes - have been vaccinated.

In contrast, the latest figures show Suffolk and north-east Essex have vaccinated just 36 per cent of people in the top priority group - the lowest level nationally.

York Outer MP Julian Sturdy tweeted that he was at a briefing on Thursday where he learned that the number of vaccines expected to be delivered to Yorkshire and the North-East would decrease but not to the extent reported: “I understand that figures for Yorkshire and North-East are expected to be: this week: 364,000. Next week: 300,000.Week after: 350,000.”

York Central MP Rachael Maskell said it is important to vaccinate the most vulnerable across the country first, before moving on to the next priority groups.

She said: “It is clear that the Government messaging has been confused, but I understand the rationale.

"It is important that the most vulnerable groups are vaccinated, and the Government say they are on target with the tremendous support of those delivering the vaccine.

"This is a race against time, however Yorkshire scaled up vaccinations faster than elsewhere in the country, so before reaching other prioritised groups, it is seeking to target, nationwide, the over 80s and care home residents first.

"This approach will save more lives, so is right.

"The problem is that the Government have raised public expectations to a level which it cannot deliver on, as it has with so many of its programmes, so this has meant that people are feeling their place in the queue is being taken away. If you over promise and then under deliver, then people will want to know what is going on.

"I do not want to detract from the amazing efforts of everyone on the ground working round the clock to deliver the programme. Everyone is committed to saving lives and opening up our society again."

York’s public health director Sharon Stoltz has said no one will be left behind in the vaccination programme.

She said: “We want to reassure residents that nobody will be forgotten or left behind in terms of the Covid vaccine.

“This is the largest vaccination programme the NHS has ever run and the number of people vaccinated so far in York has been encouraging.

“We know some people will be anxious to receive their vaccination but please be patient and wait for the NHS to contact you. Do not try and contact your doctors or turn up to vaccination site without an appointment. The NHS are under significant pressure at the moment and we must all do what we can to try to help.”

City of York Council leader Keith Aspden has called for detailed local data about vaccine supply and uptake.

He said: “Whilst the vaccination programme is going from strength to strength locally, concerns over the access to data held by the NHS and the Government remain.

“It would be helpful if the Government gave more vaccination data; broken down by region, local authority, age and priority group.

“City of York Council has requested this flexibility from government agencies, as this would allow local residents to get a clearer picture of what was happening locally, measure our progress towards vaccinated target groups and allow public health teams to identify areas in need of greater support. Doing so would also help us find where areas of best practice exist, from which everyone can learn.”