Third vaccination site opens
THE borough’s third community vaccination centre has opened.
The clinic site, within Middleton Health Centre on Middleton Way, will administer Covid-19 vaccinations to eligible residents as part of the biggest vaccination programme in NHS history.
Local people in the nationally-defined priority groups, starting with patients aged 80 and over as well as people who work in care homes and health care workers will be invited to attend for their vaccination appointment at the centre.
The centre will operate every day between 8am and 6pm when vaccinations are taking place.
When it is your turn to receive the vaccine you will be contacted by Rochdale Health Alliance or your GP surgery and invited to go for your appointment at Middleton Health Centre.
If you’re not registered with a GP, you will need to register with one.
The Middleton site follows on from the opening of the first two community sites at the Number One Riverside building in Rochdale town centre and the Phoenix centre in Heywood.
The Riverside vaccination centre is providing vaccinations for people from parts of Middleton and the Pennines as well as Rochdale.
You must have an appointment to receive the vaccine. You cannot just turn up at one of the vaccination service centres.
Clinically-trained staff will be providing the vaccinations at Middleton Health Centre in a safe environment and all the necessary instructions will be given to patients in the letter or telephone call inviting them to attend.
Councillor Daalat Ali, the council’s cabinet member for public health, said: “This is great news for thousands of elderly and vulnerable Middleton residents and it is another positive step forward in our programme to vaccinate residents across the borough.
“We have already given around 3,000 vaccinations to older people and front line health and social care workers at our Number One Riverside site and at the Phoenix centre in Heywood.
“Vaccination supply is still intermittent and vaccination centres are only operational when we have supply available.
“There are well in excess of 15,000 people in our first priority categories so people will have to be patient as we work our way through the lists.
“This coming week we are prioritising in particularly people over 80 years and care homes.
“There is light at the end of the tunnel in our ongoing fight against coronavirus, but I need to emphasise that everyone needs to continue following the rules to protect each other and our health services.”
The vaccination programme is being run by groups of GPs with the support of the Council and NHS Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale Clinical Commissioning Group. People will be contacted to confirm their appointment and will be booked a second appointment when attending to get their first vaccination.
First appointments will only be booked when vaccine is available and at the moment health bosses are only receiving a few days’ notice of deliveries so appointments will be at short notice.
Local GP, Dr Louise Thompson said: “GPs and our teams are delivering the Covid-19 vaccination programme in the community whilst also delivering the vaccine at some of the largest nursing homes in the borough.
“Patients will be contacted and invited for vaccination - we would urge them not to contact their GP practice enquiring about vaccinations, as we will contact them.”