IT’S MISSION IMPOSSIBLE
Burdened GPs fear vaccines chaos
STRESSED GP practice staff fear distributing the Covid jab is a “mission impossible” that will stretch services to breaking point.
Matt Hancock, the Health Secretary, has promised the “biggest civil project in history” to deliver millions of doses.
And optimism has grown that Pfizer-BioNTech’s formula will be approved by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency within weeks.
If so, the NHS aims to give the two jabs, administered four weeks apart, to all who want them by April.
But planning has been left late with details such as how tens of thousands of volunteers will be deployed still to be worked out.
If the vaccine is approved, over-80s, care homes residents and health workers will be first in line. It is still not known how inoculations, in vaccination “hubs” will reach those in care homes or shielding.
GP practice staff are already swamped by a huge rise in flu jabs and a backlog of patients with other illnesses.
And bosses fear many will struggle to cope with the workload.
A Midlands manager, who did not wish to be named, said: “We know our duty. But we are at full stretch and it is going to be tough. “Some will make it through and decide that’s it, they’ve had enough.”
Teams of four – nurse, practice manager, a doctor and a “marshal” – will aim to inoculate a patient every five minutes. Some surgeries are trying to get it down to three minutes.
The manager, who has 30 years’ experience, added: “It’s going to be an absolute nightmare and it will all be on top of the day job of running a surgery. There are more questions than answers right now.”
At least 42 mass vaccination centres will be created at community venues such as s sports halls.
Staff from GP surgeries will travel to the he centres, while 12,500 troops are reportedly on standby to help with logistics gistics and vaccine transportation. ortation.
Mr Hancock ck said the programme will ll be a “massive logistical challenge allenge for the
NHS” but insisted: “I’m sure we are up to it.” Yet his pandemic record has tested the faith of NHS staff.
He has presided over the care homes scandal, where Covid-carrying patients were sent from hospital back to care homes, drastic shortages of PPE and the failed test and trace app.
Shadow Health Secretary Jonathan Ashworth said the vaccine was “the great hope after a dismal year” but warned GPs are “under huge pressures after years of squeezed budgets”.
He said: “It’s up to Matt Hancock to ensure they yg get the resources to ensure rapid deployment.” deployment Christina McAnea, assistant general secretary of the t health workers union Uni Unison, said: “The Government has to get this right first time time.
“There’s too much muc at stake to make mistakes.”
We are already at full stretch and this is going to be tough PRACTICE MANAGER ON VACCINATION CHALLENGE