Patients needing Covid booster jabs were sent to go to a clinic 'seven miles away' but were told it is only accessible via a 128-mile round trip.

Residents of the Isle of Sheppey in Kent have been advised by the NHS to go to Southend for their third dose of the Covid vaccine.

Southend is only seven miles away as the crow flies...but the Thames Estuary sits between the two counties.

There is no way for most people to get to the other side other than taking the 90 minute, 64 mile road trip via the Dartford Crossing.

Pensioner John Twiselton, 73, said: "When you go onto the NHS vaccine website the distances to vaccination centres are measured as the 'crow flies' which is why Southend comes up.

"I feel sorry for people on the Island who do not have car transport to reach the Medway Towns or Canterbury. There is something wrong with the distribution system."

Mr Twiselton, of Minster, Isle of Sheppey, added: "I was in contact with my surgery and they did not have a clue when they would receive more vaccine.

"It is ludicrous for Kwasi Kwarteng, the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, to urge people to get their booster vaccination when there are not enough centres nearby.

READ MORE >>

"Leysdown is offering vaccinations for late November at the earliest. Nowhere else in Swale is offering booster vaccination dates.

"There is lots of availability in Medway and Canterbury where you can have your booster any day. The same applies to Southend!"

Sittingbourne and Sheppey MP Gordon Henderson said while there are three clinics in Swale for injections, none featured on the NHS booking site.

Mr Henderson, also 73 and who lives on Sheppey, said: "I have pressed the Kent and Medway Clinical Commissioning Group to provide more locations as soon as possible.

"My wife has booked her vaccination at Leysdown but I have not been able to do so.

"I can only ask constituents to be as patient as me at this time. I can assure you that everyone will be able to get a booster vaccine. Our time will come."

The Government this week announced it was setting up "hundreds of walk-in sites across the country" to offer booster vaccines as part of the NHS 'Grab-a-Jab' campaign.

So far, more than seven million people in England have had the vital top-up dose, 1.2 million of them in the south east.

A spokesman for NHS Kent and Medway Clinical Commissioning Group, which plans and pays for the county's healthcare, said: "We are working with providers in Swale to set up walk-in clinics for Covid-19 booster vaccinations which until recently have been bookable appointments only.

"Once these have been finalised they will be added to the national grab-a-jab website and the CCG's vaccination pages."