VACCINE CENTRE OPENS
Jabs administered at Broxburn hub
A mass vaccination centre capable of giving out doses to 2352 people every week has now opened in west Lothian.
Patients will now be able to get their jabs at the Strathbrock Partnership Centre in Broxburn as part of Wave Two of the national vaccination programme.
It joins the Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC) as the first two mass vaccination centres in the country.
News of its opening came as it was revealed West Lothian has one of the lowest vaccination rates in Scotland, according to Public Health Scotland figures.
Some 7422 people have their received their vaccination - 5.03 per cent. This compares to 10.82 per cent in Dundee, 8.81 per cent in Stirling and 8.74 per cent in Clackmannanshire.
NHS Lothian as a whole has inoculated less people than in other areas, according to these figures.
In Edinburgh, 22,005 people have received their vaccine (4.94 per cent), East Lothian sits at 5052 (5.78) and Midlothian is 5614 (7.53 per cent).
However, NHS Lothian said Public Health Scotland data was missing around 23,000 doses, making comparisons “invalid”, adding data used to suggest NHS
Lothian is vaccinating at a slower pace than other areas is incorrect.
NHS Lothian told our sister title Edinburgh Live the data for its vaccinations of over 80s is not currently included - making the data wrong by around 23,000.
Alex McMahon, NHS Lothian’s director of nursing said: “Thanks to the tremendous work of our staff, our four Health and Social Care Partnerships and GP practices throughout Lothian, NHS Lothian’s vaccination programme is more than on track to meet national targets.
“Latest data shows that we have vaccinated approximately 70,000 people since the start of the programme and are on track to have vaccinated in excess of 80 per cent of people over the age of 80 by January 31 with the rest of this age group completed on target by February 5.
“The data for NHS Lothian’s over 80s programme is not recorded in the weekly figures published by Public Health Scotland (PHS). This currently accounts for around 23,000 vaccinations which are not showing in those records.
“In Lothian, the over 80s programme is being delivered by GP practices, while in all but one of the other boards, the over 80s programme is being delivered at vaccination centres whose data is incorporated in the PHS figures.
“Comparisons between NHS Lothian’s figures and other boards as displayed by PHS are therefore invalid as they do not compare like for like.”
Thousands of patients are expected to begin streaming through Strathbrock Partnership Centre in Broxburn and the Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC) from this week.
Strathbrock will have six stations, capable of vaccinating 2352 people every week. The West Lothian centre will then move to Pyramids Business Park on February 15, which will provide 14,280 vaccinations every week at 34 stations.
David Small, director of primary care transformation and executive lead for the vaccination programme, NHS Lothian, said: “This is a really exciting and significant moment for all of the teams involved.
“We have been planning, checking and cross-checking to make sure everything will be as safe and as smooth an experience as possible for people on Monday as we embark on the largest vaccination project of its kind. Nearly 83,000 people have already had their first dose of the vaccine and we are on track to complete that first wave by February 5.
“It is really straightforward - we need to vaccinate as many people as we possibly can to help save lives and provide protection to help communities get back to normal.
“When patients receive an appointment, we really would urge them to keep it, even if it is at a centre which is not closest to their home. We need to move fast to provide protection to as many people as possible.”
A team of around 350 volunteer vaccinators, with a vast array of experience from a huge number of clinical roles in Lothian, has been created to work in the mass vaccination sites.
They will be supported by around 100 administrative staff.
Julie-Ann Beveridge, lead vaccinator, said: “It’s brilliant to be able to work with such a great team of vaccinators, some of whom are returning doctors and nurses, who have all come together to support the mass vaccination programme.”
Sarah MacLeod, community vaccination team nurse, added: “I’m very proud to be here and to be part of this great programme.”
More details and information about the venues can be found on NHS Lothian’s website https:// www.nhslothian.scot/Coronavirus/ Vaccine/Pages/default.aspx
Or for more information visit NHS Inform.scot.