The UK government has been urged to change its vaccines policy after a Sky News investigation identified 13 hospitals where elderly inpatients have been denied a COVID vaccine.
Families of eligible non-COVID patients say they have been told by doctors and nurses that only outpatients are being vaccinated, and not those staying overnight.
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Government sources indicate this is not the national NHS policy.
Shadow health secretary Jon Ashworth said the situation was "shocking and bewildering" and called for government ministers to take action.
"I would really urge the NHS and health ministers to put in place a policy to ensure that the over 80s (in hospital) get vaccinated", he said.
"And if their individual trusts are facing logistical issues and problems, let's work with those trusts so they can quickly overcome them."
Difficulties in transporting the Pfizer vaccine and concerns that patients should receive their first and second doses in the same location have been cited as part of hospitals' reasoning.
Around 17.5% of COVID patients caught the virus in hospital, according to analysis from the Telegraph.
Professor Anthony Harnden, deputy chair of the UK's Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, said: "It seems absolutely essential that (eligible inpatients) are immunised... before they go into hospital. And if they are in hospital, that the NHS and that hospital trust takes every possible opportunity to immunise them."
Janet Watts's 86-year-old mother has been in hospital for almost three weeks after breaking her leg in three places. "I'm scared," she said.
"Because she's very old and she's just had something happen to her which is known to be a pretty scary operation for elderly people.
"And she's now in an environment where she's in contact with lots and lots of people in a hospital which is full of COVID patients."
Jan Maibaum's 99-year-old mother Betty went into hospital with a leg infection, was worried about catching COVID but assumed she would receive a jab on the ward. However, doctors said this was not possible. Eight days in, she contracted coronavirus.
"It might be too late for my mum," Ms Maibaum told Sky News. "But they should change the policy.
"My mum said on the phone: 'Don't worry about me. I'm fine. But I might never see you again.'"
A spokesperson for NHS England said: "Decisions on who to vaccinate and where are made locally between clinician and doctor and in line with JCVI guidance.
"Thanks to the hard work of NHS staff, nearly four in five over 80s have been vaccinated already and with over 1,300 vaccination centres now open, including local pharmacies and GP led sites, people will have the option of getting vaccinated at a location convenient to them and everyone should continue to accept an appointment once invited."
