A social care leader has spoken of her frustration at people not turning up for anti-covid jabs.

Mary Wimbury, chief executive of Care Forum Wales, said it was particularly galling when many vulnerable care home residents are desperate to have them.

There has been a significant number of no-shows across Wales, at a time when vaccine supplies are limited.

Another cause for concern is the number of so called Red Flag care homes – where at least one positive test has been registered.

In a number of cases residents in those homes were not being allowed to have the inoculation even when the initial test was a false positive and a subsequent test came back negative.

It was now, said Ms Wimbury, a race against time to get all 23,000 care home residents as well as the 12,000 staff in Wales vaccinated, with the Welsh Government promising that all of them will be given the jab before the end of January.

She said: “I really hope that the Welsh Government meet the target because every day that people are waiting for a vaccine is a day that they are in more danger.

“We’ve seen vaccination of care home staff and residents really ramp up in the last week and this week so I hope we can get there. We really need to get it done.

“I’m hearing that some homes are being told if they are ‘red’ none of their residents will be vaccinated.

“Being designated as red may just mean you have a member of staff who tests positive on the UK portal routine testing.

“That doesn’t necessarily mean that they are positive. We’re still seeing a lot of false positives.

“Vaccinations are being put off in those care homes and actually, those residents need the vaccination as much as everyone else.

“It’s very frustrating when you hear about missed appointments with people not turning up to be vaccinated at a time when staff and residents seriously want one.

“It’s especially disappointing when care homes are the top priority group and we are seeing other groups being vaccinated alongside them as well.

“I understand a cancellation hotline is now being set up so hopefully this will lead to fewer unused appointments.

“I don’t think you can underestimate how desperate care home residents and staff are for this vaccination.”