North Cumbria is “well on target” to meet the national ambitions of vaccinating all over-50s by the middle of April and all adults by the end of July, an NHS trust says.
More than 120,000 vaccinations have been given in north Cumbria since the programme started in December, more than a third of the county population has received at least a first dose.
Ed Tallis, director of primary care for NHS North Cumbria CCG, said: “We know as people become eligible for the vaccine they are keen to get it as quickly as they can, and we want to reassure people that as the vaccine is being delivered to north Cumbria it is being administered.
“While we are working with regional partners to open a large vaccination centre before the end of the month, we want to make sure people know that even if they receive a letter inviting them to book, they can wait and be called by their local practice.
“So long as the supplies continue we will meet all of the national deadlines, so please be patient with our practices who are leading the biggest programme of its kind and working above and beyond to get to their patients.”
How is the vaccine being delivered?
Vaccine supplied are allocated at a national level. Primary Care Networks (PCNs) – groups of GPs working together in a local area – are vaccinating as soon as they receive deliveries. The national supply is expected to improve in the coming weeks.
As GPs work through the eligible cohorts – some of which are very big and will take some time to work through – they will contact individuals and invite them in for the vaccine at a hub. If you wait you will be called closer to home.
In the meantime, people may receive a letter from the National Booking Service inviting them to book at a large vaccination centre or at a community pharmacy.
If you are able to travel you can book a slot. You do not have to respond to this letter and can wait to be called locally – which will be within the next four weeks for the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation cohorts.
The trust says it is working with regional colleagues in the North East to open a large vaccination centre in Penrith.
The challenge continues to be recruiting the clinical workforce. It is scheduled to open by the end of the month. Slots will be bookable via the National Booking Service.
This week two community pharmacies – Boots in Carlisle and Pharamcy2U in Dunmail Park in Workington have started vaccinations – these slots are bookable through the National Booking Service. More community pharmacies will be coming online in the coming weeks.
If they do not appear on the National Booking Service it is because all of the available slots have been taken, the advice is to keep checking as more will be released or wait until you are called by your GP Practice.
GP Practices and local pharmacy cannot answer queries about the National Booking Service.
Where are vaccines being given to patients?
- Eight PCNs are vaccinating from nine hubs.
- As the supply of Oxford Astrazeneca (which does not require the same complex handling as Pfizer) grows the NHS is seeing more practices able to offer localised clinics – this is especially helpful for practices such as Alston, Keswick, Seascale and Silloth that are some distance from their hub. This also reduces travel for patients.
- GP teams have been vaccinating housebound patients and those in care homes.
- There are also hospital hubs at the West Cumberland Hospital and the Cumberland Infirmary which have concentrated mainly on frontline health and social care staff.
- By the end of the month, vaccinations are anticipated to be being offered from 16 regular bases across north Cumbria.
- As people become eligible for the vaccine so do lots of other people in that group and they are working through them as fast as vaccine supplies allow.
- Once you have had your vaccination keep following the guidelines around face coverings and social distancing to keep protecting each other.
