Rutland County Council's office in Oakham to be used as coronavirus vaccination centre
Rutland County Council's office in Oakham is to be used as a community vaccination centre.
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 - but none have been given in Rutland. All the GP practices starting their vaccines this week will use non-NHS buildings known as community vaccination centres.
Rutland Healthcare Primary Care Network, consisting of four practices, will be vaccinating their patients from Rutland County Council’s offices in Catmos St, Oakham. These practices are Empingham Medical Centre, Market Overton and Somerby Surgeries, Oakham Medical Practice and Uppingham Surgery.
Your questions answered on vaccine
Dr Hilary Fox, GP and clinical director of Rutland Healthcare Primary Care Network said: “We are thankful that the Covid vaccination programme is starting in Rutland as one of the first community vaccination centres. Rutland is home to a high number of older people who are vulnerable to Covid-19 and vaccination will protect patients, their families and our community. Our heartfelt thanks to our GP practices, NHS and Rutland County Council staff and volunteers who have worked so hard to get the vaccination programme started. We have over 2500 people over 80, and are prioritising the most vulnerable, so please come for vaccination when it’s your turn when you are contacted by your practice.”
Rutland County Council leader Oliver Hemsley (Con) said: “We have received confirmation from that Rutland County Council’s Catmose offices in Oakham are to be used as a Covid-19 vaccination centre. This is extremely good news for the people of Rutland and final preparations are now being made to get the site ready.
“The list of suitable sites in Rutland is very limited, due to our size and the makeup of our towns and villages. We feel it’s vital that our residents are able to access the vaccine here, in the county, and so have worked extremely closely with our partners in the NHS and national government to put all the necessary measures in place at Catmose.”
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.”
Three other community-based vaccination centres will also be set up at The Kube Conference Centre, Leicester Racecourse; Melton Sports Village, Melton Mowbray and Charnwood Borough Council’s offices in Southfield Road, Loughborough.
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 here.