Covid-19 vaccination programme update

Monday 22 February

Excellent progress continues to be made with delivery of the Covid-19 vaccination programme across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

The Government’s ambition of offering the vaccine to everyone in the first four priority groups was achieved across the area less than 10 weeks after the launch of the programme, ahead of the 15 February deadline. This is a fantastic achievement and once again a huge thank you to all colleagues, volunteers and partners involved in supporting local delivery of the Covid-19 vaccine programme for their outstanding continued response.

More than 480,000 vaccines have been delivered to our communities, with the vast majority of those in priority group 1-4 now vaccinated. Across the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care System (ICS) and Frimley Health and Care ICS, more than 95% of people aged 80 and over have received their first dose. Anyone in groups 1-4 who has not yet been vaccinated for any reason is being followed up and encourage to take up the offer. We continue to work with our health and care partners to better understand and address any inequalities and barriers.

Full update here

Monday 22 January

Social Care Workers in the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise Sector

The Government have asked Local Authorities to assist the social care workforce to access vaccinations. Some voluntary sector staff may be eligible when they have face to face contact with clinically vulnerable residents. In order for us to start to coordinate the vaccination of eligible colleagues in the VCSE we would like you to complete this short survey by clicking this link

The deadline for returns of this survey is 5pm Friday 29th January. Once we have received the information from your organisation a member of our Hampshrie County Council coordination team will be in contact. If you have any questions or need further clarification, please email them to scwvacs@hants.gov.uk

Friday 8 January

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Covid-19 Vaccination Programme Briefing – view here

Monday 21 Deccember

 More GP-led services starting to offer vaccinations over the next couple of days

Another 10 GP-led services across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight will start vaccinating patients over the next couple days, as the roll out of the biggest vaccination programme in NHS history continues.

Following the first 26 sites across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight successfully starting over the last couple of weeks, the new sites will be taking delivery of the vaccine over the next couple of days, and starting their clinics.

The NHS is continuing to contact people in the priority groups when it is their turn to receive the vaccine. Please do not contact the NHS about the vaccine. When it is the right time for you, you will receive an invitation to come forward and be told where to go and what to do.

Across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight the next primary care sites going live with vaccination clinics over the next couple days are as follows:

• Forest Surgery, Bordon
• Hayling Island Health Centre
• Emsworth Baptist Church
• Milford on Sea War Memorial Hospital (for New Forest Primary Care Network)
• Fordingbridge Hospital (for Avon Valley Primary Care Network)
• Crosfield Hall, Romsey
• The Lights, Andover
• Winchester Holiday Inn (for Winchester Rural, North and East Primary Care Network)
• Westridge Centre, Ryde, IoW
• The Bay Medical Practice, Shanklin, IoW

We will continue to keep you updated and you can also find out more about the vaccination programme on the NHS website.

Thursday 17 Decmeber

More GP practices starting to offer vaccinations over the next few days

Following our update earlier this week on the roll-out of the Covid-19 vaccine, we can now confirm that more GP practices across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight will be starting to vaccinate patients in our communities over the next few days.

The NHS is continuing to contact people in the priority groups when it is their turn to receive the vaccine. Please do not contact the NHS about the vaccine. When it is the right time for you, you will receive an invitation to come forward and be told where to go and what to do.

Across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight the next primary care sites going live with vaccination clinics over the next few days are as follows:

• Solent View Medical Practice, Gosport
• Portchester Practice
• Brune Medical Centre, Gosport
• Brook Lane Surgery, Fareham
• Waterlooville Health Centre
• Adelaide Health Centre, Southampton
• Royal South Hants Hospital (for Southampton Central Primary Care Network)
• Ladies Walk Surgery, Southampton
• Chessel Avenue Surgery, Southampton
• Totton Football Club
• Applemore Leisure Centre, Hythe
• Park Surgery, Chandlers Ford
• West Wight Sport and Community Centre, IoW
• Eastney Health Centre, Portsmouth
• Cosham Health Centre, Portsmouth
• Lake Road Health Centre, Portsmouth

We will continue to keep you updated and you can also find out more about the vaccination programme on the NHS website.

Tuesday 15 December

GP practices starting to offer vaccinations this week

Following our update last week on the roll-out of the Covid-19 vaccine, we can now confirm that GP practices across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight will be starting to vaccinate patients in our communities from today (Tuesday 15 December).

Practices across the country are starting to take delivery of the vaccine and the programme in primary care is being arranged through local Primary Care Networks (PCNs).

Nurses, paramedics, pharmacists and other NHS staff will work alongside GPs to vaccinate those aged 80 and over, as well as care home workers and residents, identified as priority groups for the life-saving vaccine.

We would like to say a huge thank you to all colleagues who have been working so hard on this next phase of the vaccination programme.

Practices are working together to set up local vaccination centres in surgeries, community centres, and even a hotel.

Like the hospital staff who launched the world-leading campaign last week, practice teams are working rapidly to organise the sites so that safe processes are in place to meet the tough logistical challenges of offering the vaccination.

The NHS is continuing to contact people in the priority groups when it is their turn to receive the vaccine. Please do not contact the NHS about the vaccine. When it is the right time for you, you will receive an invitation to come forward and be told where to go and what to do.

Across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight the ‘Wave 1’ primary care sites going live with vaccination clinics this week are as follows:

• Fareham Community Hospital
• Hampshire Court Hotel, Basingstoke
• Festival Hall, Petersfield
• St Peters Surgery, Southampton
• New Milton Health Centre
• Bursledon Surgery
• Colden Common Surgery
• Badger Farm Community Centre, Winchester
• Kingston Crescent Surgery, Portsmouth
• Carisbrooke Health Centre, IoW

The latest phase of the vaccine roll-out is being co-ordinated by GP-led primary care networks with more practices and community pharmacies in other parts of England joining on a phased basis during December and in the coming months.

We will continue to keep you updated and you can also find out more about the vaccination programme on the NHS website.

Tuesday 8 December

Covid-19 vaccination programme has started

The NHS in Hampshire and Isle of Wight has started vaccinating patients against Covid-19 today (Tuesday) at our first hospital hub, Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth, at the start of the biggest immunisation programme in history.

Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust (PHU) is one of fifty hubs nationwide in the first wave. More hospitals will start vaccinating over the coming weeks and months as the programme ramps up.

People aged 80 and over as well as care home workers will be first to receive the jab, along with NHS workers who are at higher risk.

Patients aged 80 and above who are already attending hospital as an outpatient, and those who are being discharged home after a hospital stay, will be among the first to receive the life-saving jab.

PHU will also begin inviting over 80s in for a jab and work with care home providers to book their staff in to vaccination clinics.

Any appointments not used for these groups will be used for healthcare workers who are at highest risk of serious illness from covid. All those vaccinated will need a booster jab 21 days later.

NHS staff have been working through the weekend to prepare for the launch of the programme with the first vaccinations happening from today (Tuesday).

This will be a marathon over the coming months, not a sprint, and the NHS will keep expanding the programme as we get more vaccine, and potentially other vaccines come available.

GPs and other primary care staff are on standby to start delivering the jab. A small number of GP-led primary care networks will begin doing so during the following week (week beginning 14 December) with more practices in more parts of the country joining in on a phased basis during December and in the coming months.

Vaccination centres treating large numbers of patients locally will also subsequently stand up when further supplies of vaccine come on stream.

The public can really help the NHS deliver this effectively to those who need it most. Our asks are:

• We will contact you when it’s the right time to come forward, so please don’t contact the NHS to seek a vaccine before then;
• Please act on your invite when it comes, and make sure you attend your appointments when you arrange them;
• And of course, please continue to abide by all the social distancing and hand hygiene guidance, which will still save lives.

The Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine is being used. This vaccine is shown to offer up to 95% efficacy and has been given regulatory approval by the MHRA, the official UK regulator, which has also made clear this vaccine is very safe and highly effective. We have full confidence in their expert judgement and processes.