Primary care committed to Covid vaccine programme but needs support

Primary care committed to Covid vaccine programme but needs support

As primary care begins to offer the COVID-19 vaccine, Dr Graham Jackson, GP and Senior Clinical Adviser at the NHS Confederation, said:

“This is a significant moment. The largest vaccination programme in the NHS's history is highly complex, with primary care prioritising vulnerable patients and working with a vaccine that is logistically demanding to deliver. 

"Primary care services are committed to playing an important part in the COVID-19 vaccination programme but in an operation of such complexity they require ongoing support, not least clear and timely advice and guidance. 

“To get this far has taken an enormous amount of collaboration and coordination at speed and scale from local partners, with many challenges to overcome. We must also remember that primary care teams will be delivering this vaccine alongside their wider responsibilities and with a stretched workforce.

“By working together, the majority of practices will be able to take part and importantly, they are determined to make sure that every patient who has been identified as needing a coronavirus vaccine will be offered one at the appropriate point.”