THE first people in Worcestershire visited their local doctor's surgery for a Covid-19 vaccination today (Monday) as the roll-out gets under way across the county.
Covid vaccination services run by family doctors and their teams are starting across Worcestershire and Herefordshire this week as the roll out of the biggest vaccination programme in NHS history gains momentum.
Some GP practices in Worcestershire have now received delivery of the coronavirus vaccine and have started their clinics, with the rest following over the coming days and weeks when more vaccines arrive.
Wyre Forest Health Partnership previously announced its sites at Stourport Health Centre and Kidderminster Medical Centre had been approved as vaccine sites.
It posted on Facebook today: "We have now started ringing our patients in the priority order defined by the government, to book their Covid vaccination.
"Our first clinics start this week out of Stourport Health Centre (even if you are registered at a different surgery).
"Please only come if you have pre booked appointment. We have limited space, please do not arrive early as because of social distancing you will have to wait outside.
"Please wear a mask. You will need to wait for 15 minutes after vaccination before leaving.
"Please bear with us during this first week, it is a new service which we are pleased to have set up quickly in order to start protecting people as quickly as possible."
Aylmer Lodge Cookley Partnership has also announced it has been approved to deliver Covid-19 vaccines from its Hume Street site.
The latest phase of the vaccine roll-out is being co-ordinated by GP-led primary care networks (PCN), which are groups of general practices working more closely together.
This means that patients may be invited to receive the vaccine from a location that is different to their registered practice but one that will still be nearby to where they live.
The last few weeks has seen practice teams working rapidly to redesign their sites and put in place safe processes to meet the tough logistical challenges of offering the vaccination.
Dr Gemma Moore, practising GP and lead for Droitwich and Ombersley PCN, said: “This is the greatest vaccination programme ever undertaken by the NHS and, to help vaccinate people safely we will be delivering it in convenient and familiar settings.
"As a GP I’m proud to be part of this huge national effort to protect our patients against the virus and I would urge the public to come forward when they are called up for the vaccine.”
Simon Trickett, chief executive of NHS Herefordshire and Worcestershire CCG added: “Delivering the covid vaccination programme in Herefordshire and Worcestershire is a huge challenge. However, our local general practice has an excellent track record of delivering mass vaccination programmes, and I’m confident that we can use this experience to help protect people from Covid-19 and start getting life back to normal again.”
Patients are reminded that the NHS will contact people in priority groups when it is their turn to receive the vaccine and to not contact their GP practice or local hospital directly asking for an appointment.
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