Hospital vaccination hub is on track to deliver 350,000 jabs by the end of the year
TEAM EFFORT IN BIG PUSH TO MEET PM’S TARGET
NOTTINGHAMSHIRE’S biggest Covid vaccination team say they can jab 350,000 people by the end of the year.
The operation, led by Sherwood Forest Hospitals, has been ramped up as the UK seeks to offer boosters to all those who want one.
Their vaccine hub at King’s Mill Hospital – which has administered almost 200,000 vaccines alone since the vaccination programme began last year – has now increased its capacity by 35 percent, averaging 600 jabs a day.
And more vaccines are being delivered in the community across the area by staff who operate out of the hub.
Rob Simcox, deputy director of HR at the trust, says the programme – which also offers vaccines in the community and at people’s homesm – can jab 350,000 patients by the end of 2021.
“The announcement on Sunday was a bit of a call to arms,” he told the Post.
“We’ve done a real push in the last few weeks.
“We already had an army of vaccinators available but what we’ve done is topped that up.
“We’re also really grateful for people volunteering time as we try to meet the ask really.
“It will be a challenge but we’ve got some real team effort. “We’ve got in the region of 350,000 vaccines to administer and as it stands we’ll meet that.”
One of the vaccinators doing their bit to help reach the target is Martin Smith, a 60-year-old mental health nurse from Ollerton. Speaking eight hours into his busy 12-hour shift, he said: “I want to give a bit back to people really.
“I thought it was voluntary at first so when I found out you got paid it was a nice bonus.
“It mainly gets busy after four o’clock – there’s such a lot of people coming from work. I think everyone is scared Boris is going to shut everything down. “I’ll do this as long as I need to, as long as the demand is there. Most people think like that.” Mr Simcox said the operation was still looking to recruit more staff. “With the challenges the health economy is under at the moment we’re always actively encouraging new individuals to come and support the programme but also the NHS,” he said.
“We’ve had some lovely stories of people from the hospitality industry who have supported the vaccine programme that have now gone on to trainee nurse programmes.”
In a plea to get more people vaccinated, he added: “We would encourage people to take that up. The capacity is there. It’s in your local community, it’s on your doorstep.”
We already had an army of vaccinators available but what we’ve done is topped that up
Rob Simcox