Demand for clarity on vaccine figures
POLITICIANS WANT TO SEE LOCAL BREAKDOWN
NOTTINGHAMSHIRE politicians are calling on health bosses to release the number of people vaccinated across the county so far to build a true picture of how the programme is running locally.
The Government has only released the overall number of people vaccinated across the UK and in wider regions such as the Midlands rather than a full local breakdown for each county.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson pledged to give daily updates on the UK vaccine, with transparency about how the roll out was going.
But so far, Nottinghamshire’s figures have been merged into the “Midlands” data with around 447,329 vaccinated from January 14.
Labour’s Nottingham South MP Lilian Greenwood described the lack of available data as “frustrating” and said it was important the figures were made available.
Her call for information has been backed by Tom Randall, Conservative MP for Gedling, and council leaders who want to know how the programme is doing in their area.
She told the Post: “I don’t think that concern is limited to just the Midlands and Labour MPS. This is a national issue. There is a lack of details about the rollout.
“The real frustration is Nottingham and Nottinghamshire’s Clinical Commissioning Group has their own data and they are clearly being told they can’t share it.
“I don’t know how many of my over-80s have been contacted and how many have had a vaccine. I don’t know at this point how many hospital staff or GP practices have had it.”
She said without the data it is impossible to determine if Nottingham and Nottinghamshire are on track or if any particular area is struggling with its uptake.
“They seem to be determined to hold this information. It makes it difficult to do our jobs, to hold people to account and reassure our constituents.”
Nottinghamshire has 11 centres currently vaccinating residents, but Mrs Greenwood is worried there are some difficulties in booking appointments.
Yesterday, she said there were no booking slots at Kings Meadow Campus in Lenton Lane or at Kings Mill Hospital.
“We want to be assured we have got enough capacity in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire to deliver the vaccine quickly.
“Some of them you can’t book an appointment and people may have to travel a bit further. But we don’t know how many.”
The same concerns have been raised by Councillor Milan Radulovic, leader of Broxtowe Borough Council.
“People in Broxtowe are having to travel over 10 miles for an appointment and that’s if they can even get an appointment.
“I have had several people say ‘they can’t get through’ and they are 39th or 60th in the queue.
“What we are being told nationally is not the reality on the ground.
“These are vulnerable and housebound people.”
Mr Randall is also calling on the Government to provide a local breakdown of coronavirus vaccine figures.
He said: “I am delighted that Gedling borough has its own vaccination hub at the Richard Herrod Centre in Carlton, which was set up very quickly and has been administering Covid-19 vaccines to residents in the top priority groups for a few weeks.
“The chairman of the public administration and constitutional affairs committee, on which I sit, has written to Michael Gove, asking for the vaccination statistics on the Government’s dashboard to include breakdowns of vaccination data by targeted groups and local breakdowns to at least regional level, which I fully support.”
Councillor John Clarke, leader of Gedling Borough Council, said: “I don’t know what the secret is.
“They should be proud of the fact. It would take the anxiety out.”
Councillor Simon Robinson, leader of Rushcliffe Borough Council, added: “We would welcome more data drilled down to local authority level.
“However, we appreciate the incredible challenge they have to deliver this vaccine programme, which has to be the prority.”
NHS Nottingham and Nottinghamshire CCG declined the opportunity to comment but said data published will develop over time.