UK government accepts vaccine damage payment scheme needs reform
The government also agrees the medicines regulator should get linked health records, but gives no cost for it.
The UK government has accepted that the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme needs reform, in its response to the Covid-19 Inquiry’s report on vaccines and therapeutics.
The response, published on 16 October by the Department of Health and Social Care and the Cabinet Office, says the government “accepts that there is a need for reform” of the scheme. It commits to reviewing it “to ensure it is fit for purpose and delivered effectively”, but does not say what will change or when. Further details will come “in due course”.
The Inquiry’s report, published on 16 April, called for the scheme to be reformed “as soon as possible”. It listed four changes as a minimum: raising the £120,000 payment at least in line with inflation, annual rises after that, several levels of payment depending on the degree of injury, and transitional arrangements for people already in the scheme. The response does not say whether the government will adopt any of the four. It says the government is considering “a range of options for potential reforms”.
It does recognise “separate concerns” about the scheme’s administrative costs, “as set out in recent Parliamentary Questions”, but gives no figure. It says it will “work closely with the vaccine injured and their families”.
The other four recommendations
The government “broadly agrees with the chair’s recommendations”, the response says. The Inquiry asked for a standing panel of pharmaceutical experts led by an independent chair. Instead, the government proposes “a modified version”: an industry stakeholder advisory group with a defined advisory remit, while responsibility for preparedness stays with government. The response does not say who would chair the group. Its scope and membership will be decided after the government talks to the life sciences sector, academia and other organisations.
On vaccine uptake, the response says “childhood vaccination coverage has gradually declined over the past decade, and the government is clear that this trend must be reversed”. Its foreword names four areas to address: clearer NHS organisation, more flexible services, better public information and joined-up digital records.
The Inquiry also asked all four UK governments to publish a report each year on progress on vaccine equity. The response says the government will focus on aligning reporting “with existing assurance and publication routes rather than publishing a single annual report”.
The fourth recommendation would give the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) access to linked health records so it can monitor the safety of vaccines and treatments. The government agrees, but says this needs “an agreed framework” across the UK and is “likely to require significant investment over time”. It gives no cost.
Because health is devolved, the response sets out action in England.
