Pharmacies open vaccination hubs
JABS NOW CLOSER ‘FOR THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE’
TWO new vaccination sites will open in Greenford to help “fill the gap” in centres offering jabs in the north of Ealing borough.
Ealing Town Hall and Southall’s Dominion Centre have been the two major sites vaccinating residents since the roll-out began, while the borough’s mass vaccination site has now opened at CP House on Uxbridge Road as of February 2.
But Ealing North MP James Murray received a number of concerns from residents over the lack of vaccination centres near them in the Greenford and Northolt areas, which led to weeks of lobbying from the MP, who raised the issue with the NHS and in Parliament.
Speaking in Parliament on January 21, he said: “I thank the local NHS staff in my constituency for their hard work to vaccinate people. In the spirit of working together with them, I raised my concerns about the lack of vaccination sites, particularly around Greenford and Northolt in the northern part my borough, and they agreed with my suggestion that we ask Boots to consider opening a community pharmacy site at their Greenford Westway retail park store.
“I raised this plan with Boots, who were positive and helpful, and now we need support from NHS England. Will the health secretary please ask NHS England to look urgently at lending its support for this plan, so that we can move forward without delay?”
After an invite from NHS England’s London team to pharmacies in the area to deliver the service, two new hubs have since been confirmed.
Boots at Westway Cross retail park will begin vaccinating residents in the week beginning February 15, and Roxanne’s Pharmacy will set up a hub from Greenford Methodist Church from the week starting February 22.
Mr Murray said: “Vaccinations are crucial to helping us get through the Covid crisis. I want to make sure local people have vaccination sites as close to where they live as possible, and so I would like to thank the NHS, Boots, Roxannes Pharmacy, and Greenford Methodist Church for helping to fill the gap in Greenford.
“I urge everyone to please make sure you book a vaccination appointment when your turn comes.
“If you are over 70 or clinically extremely vulnerable, you can book now on the NHS website, calling 119, or getting in touch with your GP.
“As younger people and others become eligible in the coming weeks, please do not delay and book your appointment as soon as possible at an existing sites or the two new ones in Greenford.”
Ealing’s Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) chair Dr Mohini Parmar thanked the MP for the “great help” securing the sites, adding: “We want to make it as easy and convenient as possible for everyone in Ealing to get vaccinated, and these two new sites in Greenford will bring vaccinations closer for thousands of people.
“Vaccinations are a safe and effective way to protect the NHS and save lives.”
According to Ealing Council as of February 2, 30,572 people have been vaccinated in the borough.
an unuSual proposal to build up to 900 student flats above a builders’ merchants in Paddington has been unveiled.
it would see the travis Perkins warehouse in harrow road become part of a 21-storey, 65.5 metre-tall development.
the site borders the Grand union Canal and the westway flyover, and would be named baltic wharf.
travis Perkins and unite Students, which owns student accommodation in 27 uK cities, are aiming to submit a planning application to westminster Council by May, and start building by winter.
residents were invited to an online Q&a on February 10, in which architect James Goodfellow said the warehouse would be moved back against the canal to “free up” the canal-side towpath for pedestrians.
the developers also emphasised that the building’s stepped design would allow it to have garden terraces on several floors, and be built using recycled materials.
asif uz Zaman from unite Students said 35 per cent of the flats would be let at “affordable” rents defined by the Mayor of london’s housing policies.
the two companies built a similar scheme in Camden, with the builder’s merchant based at the ground floor of a student block with 563 flats. it is used by university College london students. if it goes ahead, the scheme would join two other developments that look set to transform the area.
berkeley homes is currently building 560 flats across several housing blocks along edgware road, including a 30-storey tower.
the vacant Paddington Green Police Station looks set to have a planning application submitted to turn it into a new tower with over 600 homes.