We want to hear of vaccine concerns

AS the county’s patient health and social care watchdog, Healthwatch Derbyshire wants to hear from local people about why they won’t or can’t have the Covid-19 vaccine.

People can either fill in the fiveminute online survey or telephone Healthwatch Derbyshire with their views or issues they have faced.

Feedback will be shared anonymously with Derbyshire public health services and the clinical commissioning group who are coordinating the county’s vaccination programme.

This will enable concerns to be addressed in public information circulated and any issues with either booking or attending vaccination centres to be rectified.

Our role is to give local people a voice about their views and experiences of health and social care across Derbyshire and the vaccination programme is obviously a topic that is high on everyone’s agenda.

Although there has been some statistical analysis nationally about the vaccination programme uptake so far and varied views shared across social media, it is important to have clear and measured feedback from local people.

We want to hear about any concerns they may have which has led them to already decide not to have the vaccine or if they plan to decline their appointment in the future. Equally, we are keen to learn more about issues people have faced with booking or attending an appointment.

This feedback will enable us to share common themes with those coordinating the vaccination programme to help focus future communications to inform the public and remove any practical barriers which may prevent people from taking up their appointments.

To complete the survey online, visitwww.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/ pressQ2TM2DT or call Healthwatch Derbyshire on 01773 880786.

Helen Henderson-Spoors,

Healthwatch Derbyshire, Milford