HEALTH minister Jeane Freeman has confirmed the Scottish Government will not use a controversial prioritisation system which caused chaos in the Glasgow flu jab rollout for a coronavirus vaccine.

Speaking as she launched the winter preparedness in the NHS plan, the SNP MSP said the Scottish Immunisation and Recall System for Covid-19 vaccination.

Ms Freeman said the system, which is used for childhood vaccinations and prioritises patients from youngest to oldest, was "not appropriate" to be used by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) for the annual flu programme.

The health minister also criticised NHSGGC apologised "too late" for the errors, which saw hundreds of people face major delays to receive the vaccine.

Read more: NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde apologises for flu jab crisis

The comments came as she admitted the rollout had "not gone smoothly" in some parts of the country, but insisted health boards were working to rectify the problems with all vaccinations due to be carried out by December 31.

She said: "We will most certainly not be using the SIRS programme for the covid vaccination programme.

"In those places, the board that is most high profile in the regard is Greater Glasgow and Clyde, they have absolutely rightly apologised. In my own mind, I think they've taken a wee bit too long to do it, but they've done it.

Read more: Elderly Glasgow residents in communication battle for vaccine

"They've apologised and they've offered a reassurance. The reassurance is that everyone over the age of 65 who has not received an appointment letter so far will receive one this week."

A spokeswoman for NHSGGC said: "We are very sorry for not apologising more swiftly to members of the public, particularly those in the 75+ age group, regarding the flu vaccination programme.

"We again apologise to all those people who have experienced difficulties with their appointments for any distress that has been caused and we are working hard to ensure that lessons are learned so that we do not experience these difficulties again."