Covid vaccine 'queue-jumping' inquiry launched by council bosses

Council leaders have ordered an investigation into claims staff shared invitations for Covid vaccinations in order to jump the queue.

It emerged Denbighshire employees could book a jab before front-line workers after an email invitation was shared.

The authority said it had warned staff of the seriousness of the matter.

Chief executive Judith Greenhalgh said: "Anyone found to have acted against our code of conduct will be dealt with appropriately."

Only front-line social care and health workers, those over 80 and 70 years old, care home residents and their carers are currently being vaccinated in Wales.

Despite the emergence of a potential flaw in the booking system, it was not immediately clear whether anyone had been able to benefit from the ruse.

The matter was raised at a meeting of the health board which serves north Wales - Betsi Cadwaladr - last Thursday, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Board chairman Mark Polin said: "People jumping the queue are depriving someone else, potentially, of receiving the vaccine at the point at which they should."

In a statement, Denbighshire County Council's (DCC) ruling Independent/Conservative cabinet said it had asked Ms Greenhalgh to launch an internal investigation to see if any of its employees had jumped the queue.

"Since we found the regional system was potentially open to abuse we instructed DCC staff the invitation to be vaccinated should not be shared, and the consequences of doing so would be subject to disciplinary action," the statement said.

"The health board had been provided with a list of eligible staff and our understanding is nobody has been able to use this system to receive the vaccination who is not eligible to receive one.

"We know our staff have been working above and beyond to keep residents of Denbighshire safe during the pandemic and we are confident the overwhelming majority of them have not - and would not - abuse the system.

"Meanwhile we continue to work with partners across the region to ensure people are vaccinated in the order of prioritisation in place across the country."

Betsi Cadwaladr health board has pledged to tighten procedures, and pointed out that validation of those receiving jabs was undertaken at all vaccination centres.