Vaccine lead returns to NHS England months after joining No 10

Ms Lawson resumes the role amid growing concerns regarding the slow progress of the booster programme and children’s vaccinations. For boosters, around half of eligible people have had the jab since the programme began four weeks ago.

Ms Lawson — previously NHSE’s chief commercial officer — ran the NHS vaccine programme from its launch last winter, until this summer, a period seen as highly successful.

She is expected to return to Downing Street, where she became director of a new “delivery unit”, next year.

So far 4.5 million boosters and third jabs have been given out of 8.5 million people eligible, having passed six months since their second dose.

Sir Keith Willett, who has been running the vaccine programme since August, will return to his previous role, as covid incident director, as the NHS prepares for winter.

NHS chief executive Amanda Pritchard said in a statement: “It’s great news that Emily has agreed to return to lead the NHS covid-19 vaccination programme as our response to the pandemic enters another crucial phase.”

Ms Lawson: said: “The next phase of the vaccination programme is extremely important – we know that the vaccine is helping us to save lives and so we must focus all of our efforts on rolling out the booster campaign to everyone eligible, as well as ensuring that everyone who has not yet had their first jab, including young people, get the chance to come forward.”

The government and NHSE have said that public appetite, and a natural ramping up of the process, has been the main reason for the slower uptake of boosters. However, there have been suggestions in the media, attributed to government sources, that it has in part been down to the management of the programme by the NHS.