We are pleased to announce that almost all of our over 80s patients at Haddenham Medical Centre have been invited for vaccination and will have had the vaccination by the end of January. This has been a huge effort but we are committed to getting the vaccine to our patients as soon as we can.
We are vaccinating again on Saturday but, unfortunately, despite being "ready, willing and able" to vaccinate this week, we were not allocated any vaccine during the week. We are hoping to receive extra vaccine deliveries over the next two weeks to meet the target of vaccinating all over 70s by mid-February.
We continue to be working hard in the Haddenham practice including inviting patients for vaccination and dealing with urgent queries while also supporting the Aylesbury Vaccination Site with clinical, administrative and managerial staff.
We know some of our patients are receiving letters from NHS England asking them to book an appointment via www.nhs.uk/covid-vaccination or by ringing 119. Patients with these letters can book into the Aylesbury Odeon pharmacy-led site or others further afield if they can get there safely.
Unfortunately, NHS England doesn't know whether or not patients are booked into our GP-led clinic; and we can't see when patients are booked into one of the mass vaccination clinics or pharmacy-led clinics. There is also a delay before we receive a notification that a patient has had their vaccination at one of the central vaccination centres.
We know this is frustrating and can be confusing if patients receive multiple invitations or phone calls. Please bear with us.
If, for any reason, you miss a vaccination appointment (because you are ill or in hospital) or cannot make an appointment offered when we ring you, please do not worry. We keep checking our records and will invite you again when you are fit enough to have (and want to have) the vaccine.
COVID vaccines are free on the NHS. No-one in the NHS will ever ask you for bank details to prove your identity or to check that you are entitled to a vaccine. Unfortunately, there are criminals who will take any opportunity to try to scam vulnerable patients. Please be vigilant!
We know it can be worrying to have to go somewhere new for the vaccination. We have helped produce a video which will show you what to expect: see here
Key message:
Our advice is that when you are invited, get whichever COVID vaccine you can, wherever you can, and as soon as you can!
Dr Mark Howcutt
Haddenham Medical Centre
