AN expat Scot resident in Spain has warned that many others may not be on the country’s vaccine roll-out list after he only managed to secure his place after enlisting the help of his local mayor.

Fred Hall is legally resident in the town of Icod de Los Vinos on Tenerife, but as he has private health insurance he was not on the vaccine list.

He sought advice from the British Embassy in Madrid, but that did not solve his problem, so he then emailed them raising his concerns.

“Thanks to an intervention by my local mayor, my wife and I are now on the vaccine roll-out list,” Hall told The National.

“I raise the issue because others may not be as fortunate as me with my mayor. I believe hundreds if not thousands could be affected by this ... I am OK but I want to ensure others are OK too … no-one is safe until we are all safe.

“The Embassy needs to work with the Spanish Government and come up with a workable solution for UK citizens not in the Spanish public health system, then pass that information onto the people they are paid to serve.”

Hall complained about the inaction from UK Consular Services in Spain and the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) said it was investigating his complaint.

While Spain tries to rescue its foreign tourism market by allowing more flights, travel between the country’s regions is banned, a contradiction that has caused some confusion.

The FCDO advises on its website: “Wherever possible British nationals should aim to be vaccinated in the country where they live.”

However, travelhealthpro.org.uk warns: “There has been an increase in reported cases particularly in northern parts of the island of Tenerife ... Individuals entering or returning to the UK may be required to follow additional UK border measures including self-isolation. These measures may vary depending on whether you have travelled from the Spanish mainland, the Balearic or Canary islands.”