BRADFORD West MP Naz Shah has written to Health Secretary Matt Hancock seeking further clarification about the Covid-19 vaccine rollout in Bradford.

Speaking in the House of Commons yesterday, Ms Shah said vaccine centres had been set up in "affluent" areas and accused the Government of discriminating against those in inner-city areas.

Mr Hancock responded: “The rollout of the vaccine is being managed by the NHS and it is entirely unfair of (her) to describe the NHS in that way.”

Today, a spokesperson for the MP said the three sites selected are Skipton Hospital, Long Lee surgery in Keighley and Canalside Health Care Centre, Bingley. 

Ms Shah has urged for at least one to be centrally located "to meet the needs of areas with the highest demand". 

In a letter this afternoon, Ms Shah wrote: "Over the weekend I spoke to the Chief Operating officer Helen Hirst of NHS Bradford District & Craven Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG). Helen explained that the CCG was asked to authorise three sites, within 24 hours, for administering wave 1 of the Pfizer vaccine.

"I am also told that the criterion for seeking suitable sites was that each of the Primary Care Network (PCN) needed to have more than 1,500 patients over 80 years old in their respective PCN groups.

"However, since life expectancy in inner city areas such as in my constituency is nine years less for men, coupled with 16 years more ill health, inner city PCN groups do not meet the set criterion."

The Labour MP added in her letter: "We also know through the government’s own review, that Covid does impact disproportionately on people from black and minority ethnic communities, in particular, the death rate is higher for men. We also know that outcomes for those with underlying health conditions are worse.

"Due to the set criterion excluding PCNs in the inner city, the three sites selected by the CCG are located in affluent middle-class areas of Bradford. Thankfully, the local hospital in my constituency has stepped in and made available a facility for 50 vaccinations per day locally, for which I am very grateful.

"The Government was aware that at some point we would be rolling out a national vaccine programme, so why were my local CCG only given 24 hours to identify sites for the roll out? Once again, the failure in government planning is at the expense of the lives of those most vulnerable in society.

"Not only has this Government historically failed inner-city Bradford and black and minority ethnic communities, but by setting out the criterion as it has done, is further blatantly discriminating against these communities."

She went on to say: "I cannot and will not accept my constituents being overlooked once again. We do not have a fair and equitable distribution of wave 1 sites, where full regard to health inequalities, including deprivation levels, are being taken into consideration, which must change.

"It is crucial that a minimum of one site is centrally located in order to meet the needs of areas with the highest demand, something which this government is seeking to neglect.

"The proposed criteria also needs revisiting as a matter of great urgency.

"We have seen devastating loss of life in Bradford, those in the inner city, including those from the Black and minority ethnic communities, have suffered enough. We cannot add to their pain and suffering by telling the most vulnerable that they cannot have a vaccine in this first wave, knowing full well that they are most at risk."