The NHS will pay GPs an additional £10 for every Covid vaccination they deliver to someone who is housebound, as part of the drive to protect the most vulnerable people as swiftly as possible.

The NHS Vaccination programme is continuing to expand its services, with Elland Round football ground the latest Vaccine Centre to become operational. The latest openings will mean there are more than 100 of the large-scale centres offering the life-saving jab, along with more than local 1,000 GP services, almost 200 run by high street pharmacy services and over 250 hospital hubs.

People aged 70 and over can arrange to be jabbed at a Vaccine Centre or pharmacy service or wait to be contacted by their local GP service or hospital.

GPs are also visiting those who cannot leave home to ensure that they are also protected. They will receive an additional £10 on top of the standard vaccination fee for all every housebound person they vaccinate. NHS England says that the £10 per visit additional funding recognises the extra staff time and complexity of vaccinating the housebound.

The supplement also applies retrospectively to any vaccinations which have already been administered to people at home.

Nikki Kanani, GP and NHS medical director for primary care, said: “Tremendous efforts have been made by GPs across the country to ensure we vaccinate those people who are in the priority cohorts as determined by the JCVI.

“Since the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine was approved for use and we began administering it on 4 January when Brian Pinker became the first person to receive the jab, my colleagues across the country have been prioritising the vaccination programme roll out which is our biggest chance of beating this virus. Please remember the NHS will be in touch with you when it’s your turn to be vaccinated.”

Other Vaccine Centre sites due to open this week include: East of England Showground, Peterborough; Norwich Community Hospital, Norwich; Chester Race Course, Chester; and Watford Town Hall, Watford.