I AM MAINTAINING THIS PAGE TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO MY CONSTITUENTS IN ARUNDEL & SOUTH DOWNS.
Please check this page regularly as the information may change frequently. Always defer to the more specific personalised advice that you may receive from your own GP or other healthcare professional.
People vaccinated up to and including 13 May 2021
First dose: 36,115,955 Second dose: 19,319,010 - (data from https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk)
Sussex has now surpassed 1.2 million vaccinations, a significant milestone reflecting the huge amount of working taking place at GPs, vaccination centres and pharmacies..
Two-thirds of the UK adult population has now received a first dose, and a third of the UK adult population has now received both vaccinations.
If you are aged 38 and over you can now book your vaccine. Either refer to your local health centre for how to book, or you can book via the national booking service - nhs.uk/covidvaccine, call 119.
Second dose vaccinations are also a priority and you will be called for your second injection within 12 weeks of your first dose if you received your vaccination at a GP-led service. Please be aware that this invitation may come to you with just a few days notice. Please do not chase your GP. If you received your first vaccination at a major vaccination centre you will have been given the date for your second vaccination at the time. You are urged to keep to the date and time given.
The move to the next age group comes alongside nearly three quarters of people aged between 40 and 49 having had their first dose, less than a fortnight after they were offered a jab.
Pregnant women will also be able to book through the national booking service from today (13th May) and will be directed to vaccination centres offering Pfizer and Moderna in their local area in line with JCVI Guidance. They can also speak to their GP practice or maternity service if they have any questions about the coronavirus vaccine or can talk to a healthcare professional at their appointment.
Q. WHERE CAN I GO TO BE VACCINATED?
The primary place where most will have the vaccine administered is via local GP surgeries. Most practices have formed themselves into groups where one surgery -often larger or with more practitioners - will act as a vaccination centre or ‘Hub’ for others.
Many people who are eligible for the vaccination are receiving a letter from the national booking service inviting them to go online or call 119 to arrange their vaccination appointment. By following these steps you can book your first and second dose appointments at one of the larger vaccination centres or pharmacy led services. You also have the choice to opt to have your vaccination at your local GP led vaccination service (the service supported by your GP practice). If you would like to have your vaccination in this way, please ignore the letter and you will be contacted by your local GP led vaccination service team. Please be assured you will not be forgotten or moved to the end of a list if you ignore the letter; you remain on the list for your local GP vaccination service and you will be contacted as soon as an appointment is available. There is up to 48 hours for your records to update at your GP if you have a vaccination at a major centre via the national booking service and this may mean you GP contacting you even if you've been for vaccination.
Where I am aware of the latest situation it is in the table below (if you are aware of updates or have personal feedback on your experience please e-mail me).
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Hospital hubs
Worthing Hospital, Princess Royal Hospital, St Richard’s Hospital and East Surrey Hospital (for residents in the north of the county), The Queen Victoria in East Grinstead and Mill View Hospital in Hove are all now live and running clinics.
All registered and eligible health and care workers in Sussex are able to book a vaccination at one of the six hospital-based vaccination sites across the region or major vaccination centres. This applies to:
• All NHS staff from primary (including general practice and general dental practice), community and secondary care
• Staff of independent and third sector health and care providers
• Care and care home staff in public, private and not for profit sectors.
To receive your vaccination, you must present photographic staff ID when you attend along with confirmation of your appointment, which will be provided when you book. All you have to do is visit: https://www.sussexhealthandcare.uk/keepsussexsafe/sussex-covid-19-vaccination-programme/workforcevax/
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Angmering Medical Centre (vaccination hub)
The surgery is running as a Local Vaccination Site (LVS) based at the Angmering Community Centre - Foxwood Avenue Angmering BN16 4FU. The surgery is operating with The Coppice Surgery (Rustington) and the Fitzalan Medical Group (Littlehampton and Wick).
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Arundel Surgery
Arundel sits within the Regis locality of practices. The Regis vaccination hub is at Bognor Health Centre. Innovations in Primary Care (IPC) is running the booking process and will call patients - please do NOT call them or the Arundel Surgery. If you have query about vaccinations please email ipc.regiscovidvacs@nhs.net.
The St Nicholas Volunteer Hub is providing transport for residents if required. Call the St Nicholas Parish Office on 01903 882262 and anyone who can provide transport should contact Cllr. Mark Phillips MarkPhillips@arundeltowncouncil.gov.uk.
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Cowfold Medical Group
Patients are currently being invited to a Horsham-based vaccination centre at Blue Coats Sports Centre.
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Lime Tree Surgery, Findon
Vaccinations are being given at the Durrington Health Centre - the PCN’s chosen hub (Coastal and South Downs PCN). This includes patients of Lime Tree Surgery. Vaccinations progress can be found here.
Pfizer second dose clinics are running this week - 13th May - 16th May.
If you would like to arrange an appointment for your vaccination, please call Lime Tree Surgery on 01903 264101 or email via their secure online form where they will be able to arrange an appointment for you. You can also call 0333 370 4111 between 8:30am-12:30pm Monday to Friday to arrange a vaccine appointment at Durrington Health Centre.
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Hassocks Health Centre
Vaccination clinics are in Haywards Heath at Clair Hall, Perrymount Road.
Part of the Burgess Hill & Villages Primary Care Network (PCN) who are working together to organise the mass vaccination programme for the local area delivering 50,000+ vaccinations. Linked to Hurstpierpoint Health Centre and Ditchling Health Centre (all part of Mid Sussex Health Care). Dedicated MSHC Covid-19 Vaccination enquiry number: 01273 837981. Progress can found here.
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Henfield Medical Centre (vaccination hub)
Part of a PCN (Primary Care Network) with Steyning, Storrington and Billingshurst, with The Glebe selected as the other vaccination site for the PCN.
** Over 38's clinic begins today (13 May) **. Please email cwsccg.henfield-henfield@nhs.net or PM via Facebook for an appointment.
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Hurstpierpoint Health Centre
Vaccination clinics are in Haywards Heath at Clair Hall, Perrymount Road.
Part of the Burgess Hill & Villages Primary Care Network (PCN) who are working together to organise the mass vaccination programme for the local area delivering 50,000+ vaccinations over the next six months. Linked to Hassocks Health Centre and Ditchling Health Centre (all part of Mid Sussex Health Care). Dedicated MSHC Covid-19 Vaccination enquiry number: 01273 837981. Progress can found here.
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Woodlawn Surgery, Partridge Green
Part of a PCN (Primary Care Network) with Steyning, Storrington and Billingshurst, with The Glebe and Henfield Medical Centre (please see details above) selected as vaccination sites for the PCN.
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Petworth Surgery
Vaccinations are taking place at either Pulborough Medical Group or Riverbank Medical Centre.
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Pulborough Medical Group (vaccination hub)
PMG is joined up with the Riverbank Medical Centre (Midhurst) to deliver its vaccination programme.
They are now able to offer the second AstraZeneca vaccination for patients who were vaccinated prior to 26th February. They are also offering first dose AstraZeneca vaccinations for patients who are aged between 45 and 50.
Please contact us on 01798 872815 option 1 to book, although they will be contacting all eligible patients in due course.
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Steyning Medical Practice
Part of a PCN (Primary Care Network) with Henfield, Storrington and Billingshurst, with The Glebe and Henfield Medical Centre selected as vaccination sites for the PCN.
For people living in the Steyning & District Area, the Steyning & District Community Partnership have organised a special Vaccine Help Line. Please telephone: 01903 651150 to hear an update on the Vaccine Programme Progress within this area. Should you need assistance with transport, you just need to mention this at the time of booking your appointment, and you will be given a telephone number to ring in order to organise your journey.
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The Croft Practice, Eastergate
Part of a PCN (Regis Primary Care Network). Vaccination clinics are underway and are being offered at Bognor Regis Medical Practice with local practice members of staff in attendance. You will be telephoned by a member of staff from Innovations in Primary Care (IPC) to offer you an appointment. Please do not telephone the practice.
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The Glebe Surgery – Storrington (vaccination hub)
Over 45's first vaccination - appointments available by booking online either on NHS App or Patient Access. If you do not have an account you will need to create one which is simple to do. Please click here for more Information
** If you have an appointment booked for a 2nd vaccination on 30th April or 1st May please note these have been moved forward by one week to 23rd and 24th April. Patients will be contacted. **
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Upper Beeding Surgery
Linked with Steyning Medical Centre with patients being vaccinated at The Glebe in Storrington or Henfield Medical Centre.
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Loxwood Medical Practice (for Wisborough Green, Kirdford, Adversane)
Loxwood Medical Practice patients will receive their vaccinations at the Pulborough Medical Group clinic. Please do NOT call the surgery as patients will be contacted.
Q. WHERE CAN I FIND OUR MORE ABOUT THE VACCINES AND ASK A QUESTION?
A new website designed to help the public answer questions about the Covid-19 vaccine launched this week. Covid Vax Facts details answers from expert, independent doctors and scientists about the most common concerns raised by the public. You can read the answers to key questions currently in the news or pose your own questions for a response.
The site has been developed by the Universities of Nottingham, Southampton, Kings College London, and NIHR ARC Wessex, and led by Professor Kavita Vedhara from the School of Medicine at Nottingham.
(Information provided by Sussex CCG)
Q. HOW DO I FIND MY NHS NUMBER?
You do not need you NHS number in order to be vaccinated by your GP and the letter that you receive from the NHS when invited to use a vaccine centre should have the number on for you. However, if you wish to find out your number you can do so here:
https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/online-services/find-nhs-number/
Q. I DON’T HAVE MY OWN TRANSPORT. HOW CAN I TRAVEL TO A VACCINATION CLINIC?
Community Transport West Sussex are already helping with transport to some vaccination sites and Horsham District Council are in contact with them as they plan for an increase in transport requirements. However, If any residents with a scheduled vaccination appointment need transport to attend, the first point of contact should be their surgery to organise this.
Volunteers with own transport are very welcome to sign up through local surgeries, although we understand Storrington already has too many volunteers!
Q. SHOULD I BE CONCERNED ABOUT THE TIME INTERVAL BETWEEN THE TWO DOSES?
No. The decision to delay 2nd injections should not be one to worry about. The MHRA authorisation includes conditions that for the both vaccines, the interval between doses must be a MINIMUM of at least 3 weeks. For both vaccines, data provided to MHRA demonstrate that while efficacy is optimised when a second dose is administered, both offer considerable protection after a single dose, at least in the short term.
Rather than just seek standard lines on this issue, I turned to the very latest research from the University of Oxford, which shows that the vaccine efficacy is actually higher at longer prime-boost intervals, and that a single dose of the vaccine is 76% effective in preventing any symptoms whatsoever up to 90-days post vaccination, as well as crucially 100% effective at preventing hospitalisation. The required second dose will be given after an interval of two to three months, and I am assured the plans to achieve this across West Sussex are rapidly being put in place.
At this stage of the pandemic prioritising the first doses of vaccine for as many people as possible on the priority list will protect the greatest number of at risk people overall in the shortest possible time and will have the greatest impact on reducing mortality, severe disease and hospitalisations and in protecting the NHS. This approach will maximise the number of people getting vaccinated and therefore receiving protection in the next 12 weeks.
Q. WILL I MISS OUT ON A VACCINATION AT MY GP-LED SERVICE IF I TURN DOWN AN INVITATION TO A LARGE VACCINATION CENTRE?
No. The national vaccination booking service provides an additional way to receive the vaccine and you may receive an earlier slot by accepting an invitation to a vaccine centre. However, if you ignore the invitation you will remain on the list for your GP led vaccination service until you have had a vaccination wherever that may take place.
Local Vaccination Services (LVSs) booked through the National Booking Service will provide options to attend Chichester, Brighton, and most recently The Park in Horsham and Saxonbrook in Crawley which have now been added.
Q. WHERE CAN I FIND THE LATEST DATA ON THE TOTAL NUMBER OF VACCINATIONS IN ENGLAND?
You can find the latest total stats for England here: https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/covid-19-vaccinations/
Q. HOW CAN I VOLUNTEER TO HELP?
There are three categories in which help is needed now: trained medical or dental professionals, existing healthcare professionals and medically qualified but retired NHS staff. If you are in these categories please register or indicate your interest here. There may be further opportunities and help needed in time but at the moment these are the priority. I had been very concerned to hear stories that the application process was too complicated and bureaucratic but I am pleased to confirm that the process has now been simplified to on-board as many qualified people as possible. This is because the Trust are now applying a different series of checks for volunteers to the ones used for normal staff recruitment. If you have already applied you will be contacted again to be processed and you do not need to reapply. The Trust has received more than 2,000 offers of support, which is really great news, but more are wanted.
Q. WHO IS ACTUALLY IN CHARGE OF THE ROLL OUT LOCALLY?
The Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust is the lead provider for the vaccination programme in West Sussex and will be responsible for co-ordinating and managing the programme, as well as some of the delivery alongside GPs and other NHS trusts. They operate within policies set by NHS England and the regulations around the vaccine are set by the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
Q. I HAVE HEARD THAT SOME PEOPLE WHO DO NOT MEET THE PUBLISHED CRITERIA HAVE BEEN VACCINATED - WHO SHOULD I TELL?
It is very important that the government issued guidelines are implemented fairly in a way which maintains public confidence. However, we should all be cautious about hearsay and making judgements when we may not have access to all the relevant information – for example some people who qualify due to being extremely clinically vulnerable may nevertheless appear well to those unaware of their condition.
If you are a healthcare professional and you have any concerns about the use of the vaccination programme you must report the incident to your line manager or if you prefer, utilise the confidential whistleblowing helpline in your Trust before contacting me. If you are a patient who wishes to register concerns please ensure that you know the date, time, location and preferably the name of the person in charge of the vaccination centre. Although you can report matters to any Member of Parliament in the knowledge that they will be treated in confidence, I am unable to follow up ‘general’ concerns as opposed to named specific instances.
!!! COVID VACCINATION SCAM ALERT - WARNING FROM WEST SUSSEX CCG !!!
It is very worrying to hear that scammers are taking advantage of vulnerable people. But by raising awareness of what a scam looks like we can protect people and learn to recognise a genuine call or text message offering the COVID-19 vaccination.
To protect yourself and your family members from fraud and criminals, remember the following points.
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The vaccine is only available on the NHS for free to people in priority groups, and the NHS will contact you when it is your turn. Anyone offering a paid-for vaccine is committing a crime.
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The NHS will never ask you to press a button on your keypad or send a text to confirm you want the vaccine, and never ask for payment or for your bank details.
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At the moment there are no house calls to deliver or discuss the vaccine. Anyone offering this now is committing a crime.
If you receive a call you believe to be fraudulent, hang up. If you believe you have been the victim of fraud or identity theft you should report this directly to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040. Where the victim is vulnerable, report it to Sussex Police online or by calling 101.
