Broxtowe leader wants a jab centre
HE SAYS BOROUGH HAS MISSED OUT – WITH SOME RESIDENTS FACING LONG JOURNEYS OUT OF THE AREA TO BE VACCINATED
VULNERABLE and elderly people in Broxtowe will have to travel outside their area to receive a Covid vaccination as the borough has been left without a centre, according to the council’s leader.
Councillor Milan Radulovic has written a “short and sharp” letter to Public Health Nottinghamshire over the fact his area has been “missed”.
He said Broxtowe Borough Council has not only been denied a vaccine centre, but the local authority is receiving a large number of calls from elderly people who have not been sent a letter advising them of a vaccine appointment.
Local vaccination centres have been set up in Ashfield Health Village, Cripps Health Centre on the University of Nottingham campus, Gamston Community Centre, the Richard Herrod Leisure Centre in Gedling and the King’s Meadow Campus of the University of Nottingham, off Lenton Lane.
People can also get vaccinated at hospital hubs including the Queen’s Medical Centre and City Hospital.
Residents over the age of 80 and care home staff and residents are those at the top of the priority list.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said everyone will be at most 10 miles away from a vaccination centre by the end of this month.
But Councillor Radulovic said this is not good enough. He believes Broxtowe has been missed and elderly people should not be forced to travel miles for an appointment.
People living in the south of the borough, in Beeston, are close to a number of vaccination centres, including the Queen’s Medical Centre, Cripps Health Centre and King’s Meadow. But people living in the north of the borough could face longer journeys.
He said: “I have sent a short, sharp and to-the-point letter to Public Health that we have not been given a vaccine centre. We are the only district area in Nottinghamshire without one. There are serious concerns expressed to me on a daily basis by residents – not only about the lack of a vaccine centre but also the lack of letters inviting them for an appointment.
“Many think Browtowe has not received the same opportunities as other communities across Notts. This is about access. It needs to be rolled out on a neighbourhood basis.
“I don’t know why we haven’t got one. There is one in the city and in Arnold. I will play hell at every level until we get one.
“You should not be travelling on ten-mile trips, especially if you are vulnerable.”
Public Health Nottinghamshire has written back to Councillor Radulovic.
The health body said that the council leader’s concerns had been passed on to those running the vaccination programme.
A spokeswoman for NHS Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Clinical Commissioning Group said: “A number of Local Vaccination Services have already gone live, with more sites set to go online in the next few days and weeks.
“The nearest site to Broxtowe [borough] is the King’s Meadow Campus at the University of Nottingham. To ensure those in vulnerable groups or who are geographically or socially isolated can access community vaccination services as soon as possible, the vaccination programme has made provision for a supply of transport to those who meet eligibility criteria.
“This will be provided by volunteer drivers and taxis. If you are over 80 and have not yet received your letter, it will be arriving imminently, with all letters being received by Tuesday.
“We would like to assure you there are enough vaccines for all over-80s and we are on track to have everyone in this top priority cohort vaccinated by the end of the month.”