All adults in England are expected to be able to book a COVID-19 jab “by the end of this week”, the head of the NHS has said.

Sir Simon Stevens, chief executive of the NHS in England, told the NHS Confederation conference that it would “finish the job” of the vaccination programme to the “greatest extent possible” over the next month.

Sir Simon said: “It is now very important that we use the next four weeks to finish the job to the greatest extent possible for the COVID vaccination programme, which has been a historic signature achievement in terms of the effectiveness of delivering by the NHS – over 60 million doses now administered.

“By July 19 we aim to have offered perhaps two-thirds of adults across the country double jabs.

“And we’re making great strides also in extending the offer to all adults. Today people aged 23 and 24 are able to vaccinate through the National Booking Service.

“I expect that by the end of this week, we’ll be able to open up the National Booking Service to all adults age 18 and above.

“Of course, vaccine supply continues to be constrained, so we’re pacing ourselves at precisely the rate of which we’re getting that extra vaccine supply between now and July 19.”