GP practices will begin vaccinating patients against coronavirus (COVID-19) in Trafford on Wednesday (16 December) as part of the biggest NHS immunisation programme in history.
People aged 80 and over will be vaccinated at Altrincham Health and Wellbeing Centre. The venue was selected as the first Trafford site due to the Altrincham area having a high proportion of people aged 80 and over, and having a well-equipped and prepared clinical building to begin vaccinations at short notice.
Altrincham Healthcare Alliance Primary Care Network (PCN) – which includes Altrincham Medical Practice, Park Medical Practice, Shay Lane Medical Centre (Drs Kelman, Cranston, Naylor, Pathak and Haslam), St Johns Medical Centre and West Timperley Medical Centre – will be the first network of GPs to deliver the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine in Trafford.
Eligible patients have been contacted by text, letter and phone call to book a slot and vaccinations will begin on Wednesday morning. Practices throughout the rest of Trafford will join in on a phased basis during December with details to be confirmed.
Dr Maz Sangha, GP Partner at St Johns Medical Centre and Clinical Director for Altrincham Healthcare Alliance PCN, said:
“We’re delighted to be first to offer the vaccine to our patients. The COVID-19 vaccination programme is the largest immunisation programme in NHS history and we’re thrilled that we have been chosen to lead the way in Trafford.”
Hosted at St Johns Medical Centre in the Altrincham Health and Wellbeing Centre, the borough’s ‘first wave’ will be vaccinated in clinics running from 9am to 6pm on Wednesday and Thursday (17th).
Dr Sangha added:
“This has been a huge undertaking with all five practices have been working together to make this happen. Our patients have been contacted, appointment slots have been booked and we’re looking forward to welcoming the first patients on Wednesday morning.”
Dr Mark Jarvis, Medical Director at NHS Trafford Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), said:
“This is a huge challenge for our doctors and clinicians across Trafford and I am incredibly proud of how they have stepped up to play their part in this ambitious immunisation programme.
We are now preparing to contact patients aged 80 and over across the rest of Trafford about how they can receive the vaccine.”
Practices in more than 100 parts of the country are taking delivery of the vaccine early this week, with some kicking off their clinics on Monday (today) and Tuesday (15th). More information on this national rollout can be found on NHS England’s website.
Posted on Tuesday 15th December 2020