Complaint
A viewer complained that an item about Covid vaccination did not make clear that the decision to raise the age at which people are eligible for a vaccination was made across the UK, following the recommendation of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), thus giving the misleading impression that the NHS in Scotland was doing only the bare minimum and not serving the people of Scotland as it should. The ECU considered the complaint in the light of the 麻豆社鈥檚 editorial standards of accuracy.
Outcome
The JCVI is an independent UK-wide advisory body which provides expert recommendations on vaccination policy. In Scotland, its recommendations are reviewed by the Scottish government and ministerial approval is required before a policy is implemented. The Scottish government was, therefore, both responsible and accountable for the decision to follow the JCVI advice to increase the age at which people were eligible for a free vaccination. While it might have been more informative to have included the information that the advice had been followed across the UK, it was not a requirement of accuracy to do so.
Not upheld