Covid vaccine roll out continues at Leicestershire GP practices

Health leaders in Leicestershire have announced vaccinations will begin at four more groups of practices within days.

It's following the first vaccination clinics opening in two groups of GP practices in Earl Shilton and Leicester city earlier this week.

From Friday 18th December, eligible patients registered with 16 more GP practices in Leicestershire will begin to receive the ground breaking Pfizer Covid-19 vaccination from GP-led vaccination centres.

Vaccinations will be administered by groups of GP practices, known as primary care networks. One practice will generally provide vaccines on behalf of all practices in the group.

Practices in the second wave are part of the following primary care networks: Market Harborough and Husbands Bosworth, Leicester Health Focus, Leicester City South and Salutem.

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: “I am delighted that so many more patients will be able to begin receiving their vaccines within just a few days of the first wave beginning. This is testament to the hard work of the practice staff and I would like to thank them for everything they are doing to keep our patients safe. Feedback from patients who have been attending to have their vaccines so far has been extremely positive.”

“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. It is also important to make sure you attend for both doses of the vaccine”

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.

Dr Hamant Mistry, Senior Partner at Market Harborough Medical Centre said: We are delighted that the Market Harborough and Bosworth Primary Care Network is part of the second wave of the COVID vaccination programme, covering patients registered with Market Harborough Medical Centre and Husbands Bosworth Medical Centre. Our first clinics will be held on Friday 18th and Saturday 19th December at the Market Harborough Medical Centre. A wonderful effort has been made by our entire practice team, clinicians and non-clinicians, to put in place the process to make this happen in such a short space of time.”

Dr Amit Rastogi, Clinical Director for Leicester City South Primary Care Network said: “We are proud of how all our staff from the six practices in Leicester City South primary care network have pulled the Covid vaccination programme together to ensure our older generation patients are kept as safe as possible in this pandemic. Everyone has worked so hard under difficult circumstances to provide these vaccines from one of our GP practice premises. Thank you to all the staff, the clinical commissioning groups and NHS England colleagues who have supported us to get this initiative underway.”

Dr Aileen Tincello, Clinical Director of Salutem Primary Care network said: “We are delighted to have this early opportunity to offer the Covid 19 vaccine to the patient population of Salutem PCN. Our elderly patients have struggled under the current restrictions for so long and it is a great moment to be able to offer them this life changing vaccine. Everybody in our four practices has worked extremely hard to achieve this over the last few weeks and a huge thanks is due to them.”

Dr Mohammad Alzim Abdool, Senior Partner and Clinical Director of Leicester Health Focus Primary Care Network said: “We will start the Covid 19 vaccinations at our practices this week. It has taken a lot of effort and planning for us to deliver this service and we would like to reassure our patients that we will look after them. It has been a pleasure to oversee the vaccination planning process and we endeavour to provide a smooth service. We would also like to express our special thanks to NHS England and the clinical commissioning groups for all their support and guidance. In the meantime please stay safe and together we will get through this difficult time.”