Sheffield has one of the highest Covid vaccination rates compared to other major cities in England

This achievement is testimony to the hard work of thousands of people who have been involved in one of the largest post-war efforts this city has undertaken.

Last December, my colleagues and I at the CCG were just getting started with the momentous task of opening vaccination sites across the city.

We worked round the clock to identify suitable vaccination sites across the city; liaising with fantastic GP practice staff to administer the vaccinations and organising meetings, to ensure the city got vital supplies of the vaccine and the medical equipment needed to vaccinate you.

The local vaccination services set up by GP practices were the first to start mass vaccinations in Sheffield.

They began on 15 December with three GP surgeries offering the vaccine on behalf of 18 neighbouring practices.

Over 16,000 people, per week, were given their first dose of the vaccine in January 2021. This had increased to over 27,000 per week by February 2021.

Contacting the first group of people eligible for the vaccine, primarily elderly people, was time consuming for surgery staff, who were also manning the phone lines and dealing with day-to day appointments.

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The older age group rely more on the phone and so it took hundreds of hours to ring them and get them to the vaccination sites. Calling them to arrange an appointment brought an unexpected benefit.

Those who were shielding were grateful for the opportunity to speak to someone and staff provided them with some temporary relief from the loneliness they were experiencing.

Dr Tom O’Brien from the Health Care Surgery, Palgrave, was the first GP to vaccinate a patient. He jabbed 91-year-old, Freda France, known appropriately enough as the ‘First Lady of Shiregreen’!

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Tom and his colleagues in all the city’s GP practices, kept up the relenting need to vaccinate people, giving up evenings and weekends not only to vaccinate but to wait for deliveries.

Behind the scenes there was an army of staff dedicated to supporting these efforts, practice managers, receptionists, and IT specialists, there to ensure the smooth running of these sites.

Our practice nurses are responsible for vaccinating the majority of people who came to one of the 15 vaccination centres that opened their doors at the beginning of the year.

Across the city, people gave up their time to act as marshals; there to greet people as they arrived at the vaccination centres and guide them through the process.

The city’s firefighters joined the ranks of trained vaccinators. GPs came out of retirement and those still working in our practices worked even longer hours to deliver patient care and vaccinations.

The key to our success, is the combination of our hard working vaccinators and the investment made by the CCG in local organisations.

These groups reached out to people who were less likely to have the vaccines either because of hesitancy or needed additional support to access the clinics.

We provided 25 local organisations with funding to support people living in poverty and deprivation, those experiencing homelessness and residents with disabilities.

Along with Sheffield’s faith communities and people from ethnic minority backgrounds these groups encouraged everyone to get vaccinated.

Volunteers and staff from these groups had conversations with people on their doorsteps.

Virtual meetings and Q&As were organised to answer people’s questions. A senior executive from vaccine maker, Pfizer, accepted an invitation to attend one such event and field questions about the company’s vaccine.

An incredible amount of time went into this work. We actively engaged with people so they could raise issues and barriers to be resolved by us.

Invites and messages to have the vaccine were translated, appointments booked on behalf of those who were unable to do it and people were accompanied to their appointments.

The total number of people contacted via social media, through written communication and directly, as reported by the 25 organisations who worked with us, was 192,524, between April and August 2021.

Getting a vaccine was made easier with pop up clinics in mosques, churches and local community centres.

Some of the city’s finest institutions agreed to do their bit for the vaccine rollout. Sheffield United Football Club, the Crucible Theatre and Sheffield Wednesday hosted GP led vaccination clinics.

I think we are the only CCG in the country to fund a rap song that encouraged young people to get the vaccine.

Our partnership with Sheffield City Council was also vital in our vaccination rollout. They provided logistical support to GP practices, event marshals to support people attending pop up clinics and took information directly to residents with their COVID-19 bus, that travelled to neighbourhoods throughout the city

There are too many names to thank them individually, but they know who they are. To each and everyone of you, you are the best for going above and beyond to get us this far.

Then there are all of you who got the vaccines, thank you too for doing that and protecting yourselves and those around you. Vaccines are the only hope of reducing coronavirus related illnesses and transmission.

Sadly, as we leave 2021, we are contending with a new, more transmissible strain of the virus.

Omicron is now with us and we find ourselves going back in time, stepping up our efforts to get everyone vaccinated.

As the lead for the vaccination programme in Sheffield there is only one wish I have and that’s to see 100% vaccination rates among all the eligible groups.

Whether it’s the first, or second or booster dose you can still book or go to a walk in clinic today. You can visit our dedicated page which is updated regularly at https://www.sheffieldccg.nhs.uk/news/walk-in-clinics-dec.htm