Independents delivered far more Covid vaccines than the large multiples over a nine-month period during the pandemic, according to research by the National Pharmacy Association.

Data released by the NPA and PharmData revealed 85 per cent of 610 pharmacy sites that administered jabs in the UK between January and September 2021 were independents. That equates to 521 independent sites.

The data was provided by the NHS Business Services Authority, HSC Business Services Organisation, NHS Wales and the Information Services Division of NHS National Services Scotland.

The NPA said its members made up more than half of the top 100 deliverers of Covid vaccines. As of January this year, pharmacies from all sectors had administered 22 million vaccines as well as a third of boosters. By September last year, they had delivered 11.4 million jabs.

“These figures show us that flexible, locally engaged, entrepreneurial independent community pharmacies are making a huge contribution to the vaccine programme,” said NPA chief executive Mark Lyonette.

“Our members have been a shining example of going above and beyond in the most challenging of circumstances to provide millions of covid jabs, including boosters. Looking further forward, pharmacies will probably still be protecting people long after the mass vaccination centres have been wound down.”