Hundreds of care home residents and staff vaccinated in Worthing

GP surgeries have been working together ‘closely and tirelessly’ since before Christmas to visit care homes.

As of Tuesday (January 12), staff had vaccinated approximately 25 care homes between them, totalling around 1500 residents and staff.

Haviland House, a specialist dementia care home in Goring Street, was visited by a team from St Lawrence Surgery on December 31, who vaccinated more than 40 residents and 30 staff members.

Chris Walton-Turner, director of care homes at Guild Care, said: “We are delighted that Haviland House residents, who are known as family members, and staff were offered the vaccine as part of the local plans to deliver the NHS vaccination programme.”

Worthing residents in the second priority group, people over the age of 80 and primary care staff, have now begun to be vaccinated across three approved sites – Durrington Health Centre, St Lawrence Surgery and the Strand Medical Centre.

Dr Jo Wadey, practice manager at St Lawrence Surgery, said around 2,000 residents had been vaccinated as of Tuesday, January 12.

She said: “The task we have accepted on behalf of our population is massive, and staff have worked around the clock to ensure that we have been able to mobilise as quickly as we can.

“The practice managers have worked around the clock to plan this monumental programme, and are completely in awe of their practice staff and volunteers, who are all pulling together to work all hours to execute this vaccine programme.”

She added: “Please continue to be patient with us, we will get to all the cohorts of patients when instructed by NHS England and as the vaccines are available.”

Dr Rani Dhillon, GP partner at Lime Tree Surgery, said being able to vaccinate patients had ‘filled our team with hope and joy in these uncertain times’.

Last week, Dr David Stokes, a partner at St Lawrence surgery, spoke to the Herald about some of the challenges facing surgeries when it came to administering the vaccine.

While practices had pulled together in a short space of time to prepare for the roll out, this was dependent on the vaccine being delivered, and he said they were being given ‘very late notice’ of when deliveries were due.

“There’s never been a delay from our side, we’ve been gunning for it. We’ve been waiting for the supply,” he said, adding: “We can’t book patients in until we know when it’s coming.”

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In Adur, Northbourne Medical Centre in Shoreham has started vaccinating its own patients as well as those at Harbour View Healthcare and The Manor Practice.

A vaccination hub was due to go live at Lancing Parish Hall this week, serving patients from New Pond Row Surgery, Ball Tree Surgery and The Orchard Surgery.