NHS bosses are aiming to roll out a mass vaccination programme in Scotland in mid-December.

Health board bosses are hoping to be ready for an immunisation programme in six weeks' time, according to a leaked memo. 

The email, sent by NHS Lothian director David Small, was seen by the Sunday Mail. 

The director called for meetings with Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) heads and local authority executives in order to prepare the nationwide plan.

He wrote: “NHS Lothian is planning for the delivery of a vaccine for Covid-19.

“Timescales are uncertain, but we are working to an assumption that a vaccine will be available from mid-December 2020.

“This will be a mass vaccination programme to achieve the most important public health goal in our lifetimes."

READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon to seek clarity over furlough extension amid England lockdown

Mr Small added: “We would like to meet with HSCP and council leads in each area to brief you on the likely shape of the programme, discuss delivery options and agree how we can work together to achieve success.

“Given the tight timescale I hope you will be able to meet us as early as possible.”

It is understood a contract has been agreed with an English firm to supply fridges and the NHS’s National Services Scotland. 

The fridges by Labcold will store a potential vaccine.

When approached about the leaked memo, Small added: "As part of the national response to Covid-19, NHS Lothian, along with colleagues across Scotland, is currently reviewing plans for mass vaccination, to ensure we are in a state of readiness to respond, as soon as a vaccine becomes available.

“We have asked staff who would want to volunteer to become vaccinators to let us know in order to build a database as part of general preparedness planning.”

Last week, national clinical director Jason Leitch confirmed Scots could be vaccinated against the virus by Christmas.