Looking through the NHS England primary care update this morning, there was the usual stuff: a wellbeing initiative, news around charities working together, a thank you from Matt Hancock to GPs working hard. (I am not deliberately being snarky about this – well, maybe the bit about Hancock).
There was also a link to a letter on the next stages of the vaccination programme. Towards the bottom of page 2 of that letter comes the line: ‘From the week of 15 March we are now asking systems to plan and support all vaccination centres and local vaccination services to deliver around twice the level of vaccine available in the week of 1 March.’
The letter suggested greater access to extra staff to support vaccination centres in carrying this out.
Putting to one side how this announcement feels a little buried, I have my worries about this. I fear vaccine fatigue – Long Vaccine, if you will – may soon be setting in.
We held a fascinating discussion with PCN clinical directors on the vaccine programme. Their passion was clear, but it became apparent that this programme was exhausting. Not just the running of it, but the tensions with mass vaccination centres, the uncertainty around supplies, the problems in reaching hard-to-reach vulnerable groups.
I think everyone involved has done a great job so far. But if we are doubling the number of vaccines administered, we need more than vague allusions to a bank of staff. Because caffeine and Matt Hancock’s thanks won’t be enough to fight off Long Vaccine.
Jaimie Kaffash is editor of Pulse. Follow him on Twitter @jkaffash or email him at editor@pulsetoday.co.uk.
READERS' COMMENTS [6]
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…caffeine and Matt Hancock’s thanks won’t be enough to fight off Long Vaccine.
But what if they chuck in some Quality Street???
Add a full QOF programme to a workforce to exhausted to give a damn anymore.
look up id2020
Like historical General Practice, the success of this momentous achievement and heart-filled desire, will be sadly and distastefully forgotten with casual blazeh footnotes that it is a duty of “annoying, boring, pointless, holidaying, meagre, inconvenient” GPs.
That success will lead to your front doors being banged soon enough. Get the ear buds out, and an FFP3. Buckle up.
cost of Quality Street deducted from GMS budget presumably?
So, Vaccines for everyone 4 times a year, infections, variable, but average twice a year for everyone, elderly remain under virtual house-arrest for 5 years plus (or possibly until those now aged 12 reach the age of 68??) and our economy held back for many years to come (as nobody will want to come to GB and have to quarantine for 14 days afterwards, when they can take holidays in China and remain FREE !
Why can’t we take a more protective approach, eliminate Covid, and restore our Freedoms, and our NHS?