NHS management ‘failed’ to get a higher rate of jab take-up
DELIVERY of the vaccine programme in Leicester has been frustrating and unacceptable, with a focus on boosters despite low takeup of initial vaccination doses, the city’s mayor has said.
Just over 225,000 people in Leicester across all eligible age groups from a population of about 560,000 have had two doses of the Covid-19 vaccine, according to government data.
Speaking at a meeting of Leicester City Council Overview Select Committee, mayor Sir Peter Soulsby said: “In general across the country, they have done it incredibly well and I think it’s something they can be rightly proud of and we can be proud of the NHS for having done it.
“However, several months ago, it became clear to us here that the performance of the delivery of the vaccine in Leicester was lagging significantly.
“I have had a series of intensely frustrating discussions with NHS locally. It has become clear to me during that three months or so that the NHS has struggled to get a grip of the situation in Leicester.
“It wasn’t a question of difficulty delivering the booster, it has been, across the whole board, the delivery of the vaccination in Leicester.
“Looking at the 16-plus population, only 66.7 per cent of Leicester people had received two doses.
“The overall figures are very low indeed, and worryingly so.
“When you look at the 12-to-15 vaccine delivery, the administration of dose one was a mere 28 per cent.
“That was 14.8 per cent below the national average and the graphs our public health people have drawn of that delivery have been virtually flat over recent weeks after an initial surge.
“We’re many, many weeks behind any comparable authority and many, many weeks behind an acceptable level of vaccination.
“The dose one and dose two figures have barely changed over recent months, despite all of the discussion we’ve had with them, all the data we’ve shown them, all the offers of help we’ve given them.
“As a result of that, delivery of boosters in the city, even before the massive extension that has been announced, was lagging way behind the average.
“I think it’s getting to the point where I should just express frustration and express the fact I believe
Leicester is not being well served when it comes to vaccinations.
“What is so frustrating is it ignores the fact, this focus on boosters, that a third of people in the city hadn’t had their second dose either.
“So, it’s very welcome if people get a booster, but wouldn’t it be better if the past few weeks and months had been spent getting that 66.7 per cent up to 80 per cent, or 85 per cent or up to 90 per cent?
“Of course now we’re rushing to get the boosters out, but boosters are no use whatsoever to someone who hasn’t had their second dose.”
However, Andy Williams, chief executive of Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland clinical commissioning groups, praised staff, volunteers and the public.
He said: “The vaccination programme has been a great success due to the extraordinary efforts of NHS staff, volunteers and partners in local government and across the public and independent sector.
“The programme is, in my view, a great example of excellent leadership and partnership working.
“We know there are particular challenges with uptake being lower than we would like in some communities and I acknowledge Sir Peter is absolutely trying to do the best for the people of Leicester, but I think it’s important we recognise the work that has taken place.”
He said local initiatives include specialist clinics for people with a learning disability, engagement with Somalis and pop-up clinics in particular areas.
Sir Peter said: “I’m not criticising is the NHS as such.
“What I’m criticising is the way the NHS management locally has fallen so far behind the performance of NHS management elsewhere. This is not a failure of the NHS, it’s a failure of local NHS management.
“Failure to get a joined-up response has been evident throughout all of this.
“Uniting behind a single action plan is not something they are well equipped to do, but it is quite right we should ask for one.”