GPs considering pop-up Covid vaccination centres in Sheffield to help people struggling to travel

Gleadless Valley councillor Cate McDonald told a meeting that she was concerned people needed to travel for the vaccine and it could particularly affect those on lower incomes and widen the health inequalities gap.

“A lot of people in my ward find it very difficult to get to the vaccine centre at Asline Road. There are no easy bus routes and you wouldn’t want to travel on the bus at this point anyway if you’re frail and anxious,” she said.

“If people don’t have a car, what are we doing collectively to ensure that people can access a vaccine that they really need?”

Dr Ollie Hart of Heeley Plus Primary Care Network said the NHS was looking at how to help.

He said: “One of the big issues we’ve had is around short notice of delivery, which has made it really hard to plan because people are often harder to engage with, we know this with flu campaigns where we often need to write to patients and plan in advance.

“We’re campaigning for a more consistent approach to the supply chain which would be really important.

“The Astra Zeneca vaccine is more flexible in its delivery so we are able to move around and go to people’s homes.

“We also plan pop-up style delivery to particular populations, the team in the north-west of the city did a delivery at one of the mosques and it’s that sort of thing those individual practices can do, perhaps at the top of Gleadless Valley, to get to to get people who can’t travel to the centre.

“Maybe in specific areas with specific groups we’ll try and focus our efforts but generally we are finding that people are moving heaven and earth to come, you’d be surprised by how much people have really made the effort to come in.”

People over the age of 70 who have not yet been offered a Covid jab are being encouraged to contact the NHS to arrange an appointment.

The health service in England has changed its messaging from "we will contact you" to "contact us" for those over the age of 70.