Sheffield GP reveals ambitious plan to vaccinate most vulnerable in one month

A vaccination centre in Sheffield has been running at full speed for the past week as it aims to protect the most vulnerable in a month's time.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Since administering the vaccinations on January 5, The Mathews Practice on Asline Road in the city has so far vaccinated over 2,800 on their top priority list.

Clinical Director of Primary Care Network, Dr Ollie Hart said the staff, including the volunteers, have been working around the clock to get in as many people as possible, but there has been a hiccup in the vaccine supply.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He said: "We were actually ready to go much earlier but we had some supply problems. When they arrived on the 5th in two batches, we had received double delivery instead of one.

Karen Ford, A Sheffield health and social care worker receiving the vaccine from Janice Wake, health care assistant at Sheffield Vaccination centre at Matthews Practice.Karen Ford, A Sheffield health and social care worker receiving the vaccine from Janice Wake, health care assistant at Sheffield Vaccination centre at Matthews Practice.
Karen Ford, A Sheffield health and social care worker receiving the vaccine from Janice Wake, health care assistant at Sheffield Vaccination centre at Matthews Practice.

"So instead of normally attending to 1,000 patients a week, we had to book in another 1,000 patients in about three days.

"We did 2,500 in the first three and half days so we have got another 1,000, and we realised we can get more vaccines out of one bottle, so we can give about 1,300."

Dr Hart said however there have been challenges in reaching some of the people, particularly those over 80 years old, which has resulted in some delay.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"Some were invited via mobile phones, so that is very quick and we can book them automatically but there have been cases where we couldn't reach them.

Sheffield Vaccination centre at Matthews Practice. Ollie Hart clinical director PCN.Sheffield Vaccination centre at Matthews Practice. Ollie Hart clinical director PCN.
Sheffield Vaccination centre at Matthews Practice. Ollie Hart clinical director PCN.

"So we continue to get back to them and make sure we get them immediately.”

He also said he welcomed the idea to vaccinate the entire Sheffield population with the first dose before giving out the second dose.

"What we know about the Pfizer vaccine is that the first jab gives you almost 90 percent protection and the second jab is about 5 percent extra.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"So it is definitely much better to have that instead of just having only some people with 95 percent," he said.

Sheffield Vaccination centre at Matthews Practice. Ollie Hart clinical director PCN with one of the volunteers, Andy Jackson.Sheffield Vaccination centre at Matthews Practice. Ollie Hart clinical director PCN with one of the volunteers, Andy Jackson.
Sheffield Vaccination centre at Matthews Practice. Ollie Hart clinical director PCN with one of the volunteers, Andy Jackson.

The Mathews Practice is one of the 15 networks in Sheffield who are administering the Covid-19 vaccines as part of the government's effort to vaccinate almost 14 million of the most vulnerable in the UK by mid-February.

Dr Hart added: "We managed to do 700 vaccines a day on the site. Just give us the vaccines, then we can do it in a month."