Call for more volunteers to help with Whitby vaccine roll-out
"Don't be worried that you don't necessarily know what to do."
People in Whitby are being urged to sign up to help distribute coronavirus vaccinations in the town.
Volunteers take on roles such as managing the flow of patients through the car park and clinic, as well as encouraging people who are anxious.
Those running the roll-out in the town have some concern that as restrictions are eased, their current cohort of volunteers will want to spend more time socialising with family and friends, and will have less spare time to help.
Dr. Simon Stockill, clinical director of the town's Primary Care Network, said: "One group are a group of largely retired doctors and nurses and other healthcare professionals, who have returned out of retirement, done the necessary training, and have been volunteering.
"We've had a great response so far from members of the public volunteering to support us.
"As we move into the final push to get everybody vaccinated, and as lockdown restrictions ease, we are conscious that people will start to want to spend time with much-missed family and friends, and will start to be going on holiday and things. We need about seven or eight volunteers per shift, and we try and do a half-day shift.
"Don't be worried that you don't necessarily know what to do, you will be supported by more experienced volunteers who've been around, and of course you've got the vaccination centre and practice staff available to help you as well. People have reported it being not only really good fun but great to be a part of a big project that the country is undertaking, and that sense of purpose."
For more information about volunteering, contact the Whitby Primary Care network on HRWCCG.SandSMP-admin@nhs.net, and leave a phone number (over 18s only).