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Boris Johnson clashed with NHS chiefs over the pace of Britain s mass vaccination programme as he blamed the excessive bureaucracy for slowing down the national roll-out.
Officials have said the PM read NHS England chief Sir Simon Stevens the riot act in a series of tough exchanges last week as the Government comes under pressure to halt the cycle of lockdowns.
Downing Street and the NHS said relations had since improved as the No10 now tries to accelerate the roll-out by approving 24/7 vaccine centres.
Tensions between Sir Simon and Mr Johnson had been simmering since before Christmas when the PM was concerned that some non-frontline NHS staff had been vaccinated before people aged 80 and over.
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Thousands of Britons who have already received their coronavirus jab will be offered a vaccine passport in a trial taking place this month after ministers flip-flopped over the controversial policy.
The passport, created by biometrics firm iProov and cybersecurity firm Mvine, will be issued as a free app and will allow users to prove digitally if they have had their first or second jab - or no jab at all.
Though the Department of Health said there were no plans to introduce vaccine passports, the Government s own science and research funding agency Innovate UK has already pumped £75,000 into the project.
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