A mobile vaccination van is being used to increase flu and Covid jab uptake in “hard-to-reach” communities across Nottinghamshire.
According to the latest figures, 46 per cent of those eligible have had the winter flu vaccine, while 42.2 per cent of eligible people have had their Covid vaccine.
The roll-out of both vaccines began on 3 October.
Vaccines are predominantly being administered via community pharmacies and GP practices, and the ‘School-Age Immunisation Service’ is visiting all schools across the county for flu vaccinations.
During a Nottinghamshire County Council Health Scrutiny Committee meeting on Wednesday (20 November), NHS leaders said there had been lower uptake amongst people with clinical vulnerabilities.
It followed a question from Cllr Steve Carr (Ind), who represents Bramcote and Beeston North, who said: “What can we do further to actually improve [vaccination rates]?”
In response, Hazel Buchanan, associate director of strategic programmes at NHS Nottingham & Nottinghamshire Integrated Care Board (ICB), said a new mobile van service has now been introduced.
The roving service will target areas of low uptake as well as focus on people living with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and those who are frail.
“We are trying everything to increase uptake,” she said.
“You’ve got vaccine hesitancy that you can see across different communities, and so it is very much about how we reach into those communities.
“What we are looking at is how we work with local resources, our community champions, to really highlight the benefits of vaccination.”
The vaccination drive comes as wider NHS services prepare for the winter months.
Gemma Whysall, of the Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Integrated Care Board (ICB), added: “One of the things we’ve had to do already is we’ve recruited temporary staffing into the acute trusts and already utilised some of that to cope with some of the peaks and flexibility of demand to manage emergency care.”
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A full list of available pop-up and permanent vaccine clinics is below:
Asda Hyson Green, Radford Road, Hyson Green, NG7 5FP
- 23 November 2024 (10 am – 4 pm)
- 21 December 2024 (10 am – 4 pm)
Bulwell Market, Market Place, Bulwell, NG6 8HD
- 30 November 2024 (10 am – 4 pm)
Clifton Market, Southchurch Drive, Clifton, NG11 9LQ
- 7 December 2024 (10 am – 4 pm)
- 14 December 2024 (10 am – 4 pm)
Co-op, Mansfield Road, Skegby, Sutton-in-Ashfield, NG17 3DU
- 5 December 2024 (10 am – 4 pm)
Co-op, Southwell Road, Mansfield, NG18 4EH
- 26 November 2024 (10 am – 4 pm)
Kings Mill Hospital, Mansfield Road, Sutton-in-Ashfield, NG19 0BS
- 21 November 2024 (10 am – 4 pm)
- 25 November 2024 (10 am – 4 pm)
- 6 December 2024 (10 am – 4 pm)
- 10 December 2024 (10 am – 4 pm)
- 19 December 2024 (10 am – 4 pm)
New Street Car Park, Arlington Way, Retford, DN22 6EA
- 22 November 2024 (10 am – 4 pm)
Newark Hospital, Boundary Road, Newark, NG24 4DE
- 9 December 2024 (10 am – 4 pm)
