Hopes for call system to target missed vaccine appointments

HOPES the city could launch a test and trace-style system to follow up missed Covid-19 vaccination appointments have been voiced, following concerns about uptake.

Portsmouth City Council is in talks with the NHS about how to encourage 'vulnerable' people who have not turned up for their jabs to re-book.

One idea mooted would be to run a telephone service similar to the local contact trace scheme by sharing data between the NHS and local authority so the latter can then chase people up.

Council leader, Councillor Gerald Vernon-Jackson, said: ‘The bit that is worrying is with each of the cohorts eligible for vaccines we have never hit 100 per cent.

‘Between five and 10 per cent of the groups are not having their vaccine, and we are expecting as we get to the younger age groups that will grow.

‘We are trying to get the council to do work with the NHS something similar to the track and trace system. If the NHS can give the names to the council we can talk to the individual to find out whether they have they just lost the paper work or if they have worries about the vaccination - could a doctor talk to them?’

A spokeswoman for public health in the city said work was going on across partners to ‘ensure maximum uptake of the vaccine’ but the concept of a phone system was ‘not currently being pursued’.

Helen Atkinson, the city's director of public health, said: ‘As with all of our work we're always looking at the data to ascertain if there are groups that are not equally represented.

‘Work is under way to engage with these groups to understand the reasons for this and to see if there are things that can be done to overcome the barriers to them receiving the vaccine.

‘Primary care networks are already doing great work to follow up with patients who have yet to take up their vaccination. Some residents will have legitimate medical reasons why they cannot take up the offer, or their medical history would need to be considered by a clinician to make an informed judgement on them having it.

‘We will continue to work closely with partners to consider ways that uptake of the vaccination, including second dose, can be maximised and this will be especially important as the programme expands to younger age groups to ensure no group within our local population is left behind.’

According to the latest figures from NHS England 94 per cent of over 80-year-olds in the city have received at least their first vaccine. And 60 per cent of 55 to 59-year-olds have been given theirs.

People aged 70 or older in England who have not yet had their coronavirus vaccine are able to book theirs online or by calling 119.