Salisbury residents invited to mass immunisation hub in Bournemouth
A centre has opened at the BIC today
Last updated 18th Jan 2021
The facility in Dorset is one of ten mass Covid-19 vaccination centres opening in England.
The BIC's Purbeck Hall, normally used for seasonal ice skating and other large events, has been transformed into a large clinic to deliver the jabs.
Hundreds of people will be vaccinated every day, with the priority on people who are most at risk.
Invites are going out to people living within around 45 minutes of the centre including some people in villages to the south of Salisbury.
A dedicated team of staff, supported by volunteers from local communities, will now run the centre 12 hours a day, 7 days a week to roll out vaccinations as quickly as possible.
Vaccinations are being offered in line with national guidance to the most vulnerable first. The NHS will contact you when it's your turn to be vaccinated.
Dawn Dawson, Dorset HealthCare's Director of Nursing, Therapies and Quality, said:
"This has been an enormous undertaking and we are incredibly proud and excited to be providing this important new service. We're really experienced in providing vaccination services, including flu jabs and school immunisations, and we will use that skill to give our patients a positive, safe and efficient experience at the vaccination centre."
Chris Symons, Chief Executive for BH Live, the social enterprise which operates Bournemouth International Centre said;
"We're incredibly proud that Bournemouth International Centre has been chosen to play such an important role in helping to deliver vaccinations to local communities. It's a well-known and accessible venue with the space and facilities needed for this important service and we've been working closely with the NHS and partners to set it up."
The centre will take bookings through a national system and people will receive a written invitation to book when it's their turn, according to the national prioritisation by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation.
CONCERNS OVER DISTANCE FOR SALISBURY RESIDENTS
Some residents in the Salisbury area have expressed concern it's a fair distance to travel particularly for the over 80s.
NHS bosses says there is patient choice.
A spokesperson for our local NHS has told Greatest Hits Radio Salisbury;
"We urge everyone to consider accepting the invitation to get vaccinated when it is offered. However if the invitation is for a large vaccination centre and that location is inconvenient they may wish to wait to be invited to the GP led service which might be more convenient. Everyone in the priority cohort will be invited to get the vaccination and many will have a choice of venue between the large sites and the local GP led service. This is a marathon not a sprint and we ask everyone to be patient.”
So far there have been four GP led services locally -Salisbury Cathedral, the Micheal Herbert Hall in Wilton and Tidworth Leisure Centre.