Yesterday. Saturday 19th June, was the last day of the GP-led COVID vaccination hub at Stoke Mandeville Stadium supported by Haddenham Medical Centre.
It has been a wonderful experience to work with colleagues from practices across the Aylesbury Vale including many GPs and nurses who returned from retirement to help the vaccination effort.
We have had inspirational leadership from Dr Sajid Zaib, Commander Dean Elliott from the Bucks Fire and Rescue Service, Kate Carty and Vicki Parker with support from Buckinghamshire CCG.
Our volunteers have been truly amazing – many of them patients at Haddenham coordinated by our Patient Participation Group. These volunteers have guided patients, managed the car park and ensured the patient journey has been so smooth. None of this could have happened without them.
A big thank you to all the team at Haddenham Medical Centre – they have worked extra shifts, on weekends, over holidays and when not able to get to the hub themselves, have worked incredibly hard at the practice so other colleagues could.
The hub started with almost daily planning meetings in December including over Christmas and New Year. Now, only 6 months later, over 60,000 vaccinations have been given – such an achievement!
It has been such a privilege to be involved in helping to protect the communities we serve and it is great to know that we have played our part in helping over 95% of our older and more vulnerable patients to have their COVID vaccination.
COVID vaccination is now available to all adults in England, aged 18 years and older. The mass-vaccination centre team run by Oxford Health will be continuing to run clinics at the Stoke Mandeville Stadium. We are also very fortunate to have the JMW Vicary pharmacy in Haddenham providing vaccines.
If you have not had your first vaccination yet or need to book for your second, then please use the national COVID vaccination booking service by ringing 119 or going online here:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/book-coronavirus-vaccination
Mark Howcutt
Haddenham Medical Centre
