COVID-19 Vaccination Programme

Our group works with the GP practice to help ensure patients’ views are understood and, where at all possible, reflected in the way services are delivered. We thought it might be helpful for our patients to try to summarise the situation regarding delivery of the Government’s COVID vaccination programme. This is obviously a very rapidly changing situation and we have included some useful web sites that are being kept current. This, however, is the situation at the time of writing (15th January 2021) Both Seaford and a number of Eastbourne practices are members of a local GP federation (South Downs Health and Care (SDHC). The federation provides our extended hours services and is also delivering the COVID-19 vaccination programme for our practices. (http://www.sdhc.org.uk). The federation is calling patients in the order specified by the government and is currently delivering the service from Hampden Park Surgery in Eastbourne (Brodrick Close, Eastbourne BN22 9NR). Obviously the location is not ideal for Seaford residents, but the site was chosen partly because of availability of accommodation and staff, but also because of the nature and availability of the early batches of the vaccines. Hopefully as the Oxford version becomes readily available, a more local provision may become possible. The programme is progressing well with many GPs and staff working extremely long hours including evenings and weekends to make it happen. This has included volunteers from Old School Surgery. Many over 80s have already been vaccinated, and last weekend the federation vaccinated all care home staff in Seaford and Eastbourne. Over the next two weeks they will be vaccinating all care home patients. This is not an easy task as many already have the COVID virus. The target is to vaccinate all over 70s and extremely vulnerable patients by mid-February. This will be highly dependent on staff, premises and vaccine availability. Please be patient and wait to be called for your appointment. Old School Surgery does not have any information on when individuals will be called and would ask the patients not to ring to enquire as this is having an adverse impact on their ability to deliver the already over-stretched normal services.

contact Lesley on: 07722 236741 or email: lesleyharvey17@hotmail.com

The following is an informative site that is being kept current: https://www.sussexhealthandcare. uk/keepsussexsafe/sussex-covid-19-vaccinationprogramme/