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By David ThompsonBBC Nolan Show A letter, obtained by The Nolan Show, was sent to organisations in the community and voluntary sector, which are in partnership with the trust. The only criteria was that staff were "client-facing". This included organisations in the arts sector, community groups, relationship counselling and childcare services. The trust was unable to confirm how many vaccines had been given out to those now ineligible. Department intervention The letter was sent on 21 January. A week later, the trust limited the offer to "staff working with physiologically vulnerable adults", for example those with respiratory conditions. The initial policy was reversed after an intervention by the Department of Health. The vaccination programme in Northern Ireland works within the approach agreed across the UK from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), which determines the groups that should be prioritised for vaccination, largely based on age and clinical vulnerability. Belfast Trust is responsible for delivering the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. The first group vaccinated in Northern Ireland was care home staff and residents, then those 80 years old and over. The aim is to have 65 years and over vaccinated by the end of this month. In January, it emerged that back office healthcare staff, such as procurement, IT and accounts were able to register for the vaccine as part of the first phase of the rollout. 'Very hurtful' There has been pressure from some front-line workers to be prioritised for the vaccine, including teachers. Police officers and fire and rescue service staff have yet to be vaccinated. Alliance MLA Paula Bradshaw, who sits on Stormont's health committee, said news of the letter "will be very hurtful to those who are CEV (Clinically Extremely Vulnerable) and have shielded away from society for the last 11 months and carers (those who have cared for them) - very, very few from either group have been called forward as yet". She also warned that this approach could lead to "lobbying for many, many other professions, such as bus drivers, retail workers, especially those who work in shops based in hospitals, those who work in meat processing plants... those workplaces where there is a heightened risk of coming into contact with large numbers of people on a daily basis". A number of organisations within the community and voluntary sector in Belfast had requested the vaccine for their staff. NICVA, which represents the sector, had asked for voluntary and community sector staff to get the vaccination if people in similar jobs in the public sector were being vaccinated. Gerry Tubritt, from the Ballynafeigh Community Development Association, told The Nolan Show that staff who are on the front line delivering food parcels did receive the vaccine in his organisation. "It's right and proper that people who are providing front-line grassroots services are offered the vaccine because it protects them and also protects the most vulnerable," he said. 'Truly sorry' In a statement, the Belfast Trust said: "On 21st January 2021 a letter was sent inviting staff working in some community and voluntary sector organisations to book a vaccination appointment. "Following a review, it was identified that the trust had issued this letter to some organisations in error. "We contacted the groups involved to clarify that only staff working with physiologically vulnerable adults - for example those with heart or respiratory conditions were invited to come forward to have the Covid-19 vaccine. "We are truly sorry that this has happened and for any disappointment and frustration this has caused." The trust added that all their staff were "offered the vaccination before the vaccination programme was rolled out to service providers contracted to deliver services in the community and voluntary sector". Anyone who received the first vaccination in error will still be contacted to receive the second dose within 10 weeks of their first jab.


assistant: The Belfast Trust has apologised after offering Covid-19 vaccines to community and voluntary groups ahead of other front-line workers.