More Peterborough GP surgeries to deliver COVID vaccines

Practices across Peterborough are now inviting their patients in the priority groups to receive the Covid-19 vaccine as part of the latest phase of the vaccine roll-out that is being co-ordinated by GP-led Primary Care Networks (PCNs). This includes starting to vaccinate care home residents and staff. Practices starting this week are:

Central and Thistlemoor PCN – Central Medical Centre and Thistlemoor Medical Centre

BMC & Paston PCN – Boroughbury Medical Centre, Paston Health Centre and Werrington Surgery

Octagon North PCN– Octagon Medical Practice, Bretton Medical Practice; Thomas Walker Surgery

Peterborough Partnerships PCN – Botolph Bridge CHC, The Grange Medical Centre, Thorpe Road Surgery, The Willow Tree Surgery, Nightingale Medical Centre, Westwood Clinic, Ailsworth and Parnwell Medical Centres, and Hampton Health

The practices have worked together to rapidly redesign their sites and put in place safe processes to meet the tough logistical challenges of offering the vaccination at selected sites.

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Eligible patients will be contacted direct to book an appointment. Each PCN will have a dedicated vaccination hub located at one of their sites which will mean some patients will have to visit a different practice to their usual one to receive their vaccination. Full details will be given to patients when contacted.

Dr Neil Modha and Dr Toseef Sethi from Thistlemoor and Central Practices explain “We are delighted to support the biggest and most highly anticipated national immunisation campaign in history by vaccinating and protecting our vulnerable local residents against Covid-19. We were especially keen to get started given the location of our Practices in inner-city Peterborough and the challenges that many of our patients face.”

Dr Adnan Tariq from Boroughbury Medical Centre added “We know our patients are eager to have the vaccine but we’re asking patients not to call the GP practice to book, we will contact you. If you are invited to book an appointment, we would encourage you to take this opportunity up. When you attend your appointment, you will need to follow social distancing guidance, bring and wear a face masks or visor, and follow hand hygiene guidance. These steps help to save lives.”

Dr Harshad Mistry, GP at Thomas Walker Surgery added “We want to reassure patients that our GP practices will remain open and if you have any medical concerns you should contact us as usual, things may take a little longer, but we will continue to try our best to care for you during these difficult times.”

Dr Gary Howsam, local GP and Chair at Cambridgeshire and Peterborough CCG said “We’ve been working incredibly hard to roll out our vaccine programme as quick as possible. We have already booked in and vaccinated thousands of people aged over 80 across our area so it’s fantastic to see more sites opening up this week so we can offer the vaccine to more of our local patients.”

The latest phase of the vaccine roll-out is being co-ordinated by GP-led Primary Care Networks (PCNs) with more practices and community pharmacies in other parts of England joining on a phased basis over the coming weeks.

These new sites are coming after the first two Hospital Vaccination Centres opened in Cambridge and Peterborough mid December, and other Primary Care sites across the area.

A full list of all sites now offering Covid-19 vaccines in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough is available here https://www.cambridgeshireandpeterboroughccg.nhs.uk/news-and-events/latest-news/covid-19-national-vaccination-programme/