Covid vaccinations at Council offices

Charnwood Borough Council's offices on Southfields Road in Loughborough are to become a Covid 19 vaccination centre.

Patients of an additional 42 GP practices in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland will begin to receive the Covid vaccine this week, from four community-based vaccination centres. This comes after 29 practices began vaccinating patients last week.

Up to now, vaccinations have been taking place on GP practice premises, with one practice administering the vaccine on behalf of a group of practices known as a primary care network.

All the GP practices starting their vaccines this week will use non-NHS buildings known as community vaccination centres.

The locations are:

• Charnwood Borough Council’s offices on Southfield Road, Loughborough.
• The Kube Conference Centre, Leicester Racecourse
• Rutland County Council’s offices, Catmose Street, Oakham
• Melton Sports Village, Melton Mowbray

Nurses, paramedics, pharmacists and other NHS staff will work alongside GPs to vaccinate those aged 80 and over, as well as care home workers and residents, identified as priority groups for the life-saving vaccine.

Caroline Trevithick, Executive Director of Nursing, Quality and Performance for the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland clinical commissioning groups said: “We wouldn’t have been able to begin vaccinating patients from as many practices as we have if it weren’t for local communities making their buildings available to us. It means we will be able to vaccinate greater numbers of patients, close to where they live, than we would out of GP practice premises alone. We are extremely grateful for their support in keeping our patients safe while we roll out the vaccine.”

Caroline Trevithick added: “You will be contacted by your GP practice to book your vaccination when your turn comes, and you will be advised where you need to go. Please do not contact your practice enquiring about the vaccine before then.”

The clinical commissioning groups are also urging everyone to continue to remain vigilant and follow local Covid alert level restrictions and social distancing guidance while the vaccine is rolled out to all population groups.

The vaccine is typically delivered by a simple injection in the upper arm. Two doses of the vaccine are required, three weeks apart, to achieve protection against coronavirus. In advance of receiving their vaccine, patients can read more information in the leaflets available on the .gov.uk website

In Charnwood, four primary care networks will begin vaccinating patients from their 21 practices from Charnwood Borough Council’s offices on Southfield Road, Loughborough:

• Watermead Primary Care Network:Birstall Medical Centre, Greengate Medical Centre, Silverdale Medical Centre and Thurmaston Health Centre.
• Soar Valley Primary Care Network: Alpine House Surgery, Anstey Surgery, Barrow Health Centre, Charnwood Surgery, Cottage Surgery, Highgate Surgery, Quorn Medical Centre and Banks Surgery.
• Carillon Primary Care Network: Bridge Street Medical Practice, Loughborough University Medical Centre, Park View Surgery, Pinfold Medical Practice and Woodbrook Medical Centre.
• Beacon Primary Care Network: Charnwood Medical Group, Dishley Grange Medical Practice, Field Street Surgery and Forest House Surgery.

Dr Rebecca Dempsey, Clinical Lead for the Covid Vaccination Programme for Charnwood GP Network said: “I would like to thank all our 21 practices in Charnwood for getting our first vaccine clinics up and running in such a short space of time and allowing us to bring hope to the first of our patients aged 80 and over.

We would like to formally thank Charnwood Borough Council for partnering with us on this important initiative.”

Cllr Jonathan Morgan, Leader at Charnwood Borough Council said: “I’m pleased the Council has been able to assist NHS colleagues with getting the local vaccination centre at our Council offices in Loughborough up and running.

“The roll-out of the Covid-19 vaccination programme is an important step in the fight against the virus and, as a Council, we are proud that we have been able to play our part.

“The Council has continued to support its residents and businesses throughout the pandemic, and the news that the vaccine is now being offered locally provides hope for the year ahead. “

Dr Anu Rao, Medical Director for Charnwood GP Network said: "We can now see light at the end of the tunnel in the fight against Coronavirus and the team at Charnwood GP network that covers 21 practices across 4 primary care networks have worked extremely hard to implement and deliver an unprecedented vaccine program. We are confident that general practice will step up to the challenge and run a very successful vaccination campaign for all the residents in Charnwood."

More information about visiting the community-based vaccination centre at the Council offices in Loughborough including details on parking can be found on the Council’s website.

For the full list of GP practices and primary care networks currently offering vaccines to patients, visit https://www.leicestercityccg.nhs.uk/my-health/coronavirus-advice/coronavirus-vaccine/  

For further information about Covid vaccinations visit: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/coronavirus-vaccine/