Pharmacists in England say they are facing “major issues” with large numbers of patients booking appointments for Covid jabs only to find they are no longer eligible.

The criteria have been tightened this year so that only those aged 75 and older are being offered free boosters, along with younger patients who have a weakened immune system.

Between a third and a half of people who turn up for their appointment are having to be turned away at many sites, according to Community Pharmacy England (CPE), which represents more than 10,000 chemists including many major chains.

It has described the situation as “unacceptable” with reports of angry, frustrated patients and abuse aimed at staff.

CPE director of NHS services Alastair Buxton said it had become clear within an hour of the NHS website booking system going live last week that there was a problem.

He said lots of people appeared to be missing the information about eligibility on the booking system and making the assumption they were still eligible.

But when they turn up for their vaccinations pharmacies are only able to give them the flu jab.

“That obviously takes a lot of explaining to patients. It causes upset, concern and maybe anger for some patients.

“We’ve certainly had examples of some patients becoming abusive with pharmacy team members.”

Henry Gregg, head of the National Pharmacy Association, which represents independent pharmacists, says the issue has been raised with NHS England and the government.

“This should have been avoidable and it is deeply frustrating for both pharmacies and patients. We urge any patient in this situation to treat pharmacy teams with respect as pharmacies try and manage the new NHS clinical criteria.”

Pharmacists said more should have been done to make people aware of the changes – given the flu and Covid vaccine programmes largely over-lapped last year.

In response to the problems, NHS England said the wording on the website had been changed to make it clearer the eligibility criteria had been tightened.

A spokeswoman added: “Please double check you are still eligible to receive a Covid vaccine before booking – the NHS website sets out whether your age, health condition or medication means you are eligible, and your GP practice or pharmacist will confirm this before giving you the vaccine.”

Paul Williamson, aged 71, from Doncaster, is one of those who has only just discovered he is no longer eligible for the Covid booster.

He did realise when he logged on to the booking site and told Your Voice, Your BBC News he was shocked to find out the criteria had changed.

“I’m disappointed. It feels like a cost-cutting exercise.”

As an older person, he said he would do everything possible to protect himself and so would now consider paying for it privately.

Covid vaccines are available privately at high street pharmacists and cost around £100 per person.

The changes to eligibility were made on the advice of a group of independent experts called the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).

It recommended that eligibility for the Covid autumn booster should be changed from 2025.

Last year the jab was offered for free to anyone 65 years old and over and those with a long list of chronic or long-term conditions.

That’s now been changed with the age limit raised to all those who turn 75 before March 2026, plus residents in care homes for older adults and people classed as immunosuppressed.

That includes those undergoing some cancer treatment and transplant patients, along with those living with HIV and some genetic disorders.

But it means many people with conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, respiratory illneses, asthma and severe mental illness will no longer qualify.

In addition, pregnant women and frontline health and social care workers will not be offered the jab for free this autumn.

The JCVI said Covid was now a “relatively mild disease for most people”, with rates of hospitalisation and death having “reduced significantly”.

It said focusing on the oldest adults and individuals whose immune systems are compromised, as the two groups who continue to be at higher risk, was based on “a standard cost-effectiveness assessment, in line with other routine vaccinations”.

Additional reporting by Alex Emery and Elena Bailey.