Vaccine site: NHS responds

Firstly, we would like to reassure your readers that we are aware of the feedback and strength of feeling about the location of vaccine services in Chichester.

We are taking these concerns very seriously and working hard to address them.

We are grateful for the opportunity to address some of these concerns.

A common question is why the services are not in the city centre.

There are a number of ways the vaccination programme is being rolled out to our communities – hospital hubs, large vaccination centres, a roving service for care homes and the housebound, and Gpled vaccination services.

The way in which GP vaccination services are delivered has been agreed at a national level and each area is typically allocated one Gp-led vaccination site.

Working with local GPS, we explored where we could best offer the vaccine to people in Chichester district.

Many sites in the city centre were considered, such as council buildings and the cathedral.

However, vaccination sites need to meet a strict set of national criteria that include adequate parking, infection control standards, IT requirements and can commit to accommodating large numbers of people (300+) every day of the week with sole use as a vaccination centre until the autumn.

As a result, many sites, some of which were more centrally located, were not suitable.

As that vaccination programme continues to evolve – with new vaccines becoming available and new vaccination centres and pharmacy-led sites ready to go live in Sussex in the coming weeks – we will continue to consider what other options may be available in Chichester district.

If there are other opportunities we will share these as soon as possible.

We are also being asked about how the services are working, in particular when they are open.

All of the Gp-led vaccination services are working as hard as they can to offer the vaccine to those in the first priority groups as quickly as possible.

Clinics are arranged when a delivery date for the vaccine is confirmed. At this point people are being contacted to make an appointment. Typically, at the moment, vaccinations take place over three-day periods.

This is different to the flu vaccination when appointments can be booked up for weeks and months in advance.

As a result, no one should worry if they have not yet been contacted. The teams supporting the Gp-led vaccination services contact eligible people as soon as appointments are available and this will continue to take place over the coming weeks.

You may have seen the news this week that, in some parts of the country, vaccinations can start being offered to people over 70.

In Chichester District, people aged over 80, care home residents and staff, and health and care workers remain the priority and people in these groups will be contacted first.

We want to assure everyone that our teams are working tirelessly and this programme is unprecedented in its scope and pace.

We also want to thank all of the incredible volunteers who have been supporting the sites across the whole of the Chichester District and helping local residents to receive this vital protection.

We will continue to keep you updated – in the meantime you can read more about the programme, including frequently asked questions, at our Sussex Health and Care Partnership website: https://www. sussexhealthandcare.uk/ keepsussexsafe/sussex-covid19-vaccination-programme/ faqs-about-the-covid-19vaccine SUSSEX COVID