Surrey hospital trust starts Covid-19 vaccination programme
Staff and care workers were among the first to receive the jab.
A hospital trust in our area has launched its Covid-19 vaccine campaign - with some staff and care home workers getting their first dose.
Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust staff are giving out 975 doses of the Pfizer BioNTech jab at East Surrey Hospital in Redhill this week.
The programme started yesterday (4 January), with 200 vaccines delivered.
Sarah Hawksley, speciality doctor in anaesthetics who has worked for SASH for 16 years, was one of the first people to receive the jab:
"I couldn’t wait to be vaccinated. I’m keen to do whatever we can do to help prevent the spread of the virus. I feel much more confident in caring for my patients now that I’ve been vaccinated."
Eva O’Connell, occupational therapist, also received the vaccine:
"I’m really glad we’re getting the vaccine. I will definitely feel safer now, it’s great news."
Michael Wilson CBE, chief executive at SASH, said he was "delighted"to be starting the New Year by providing the jab after the trust's staff had "shown such extraordinary dedication and resilience during this pandemic.
He said as "the largest vaccination programme the NHS has seen" it would take time, "but today represents real hope for a bright future.
"I would like to thank our colleagues in pharmacy, occupational health, performance, our peer vaccinators and everyone involved in this enormous effort to launch the programme here at SASH."
The roll out to health and care staff complements the community vaccination centres already available for members of the public.
The hospital says the programme will expand in the coming weeks and people will be contacted by their GPs when it is their turn.
For more information go to www.nhs.uk/covidvaccine