2 February 2021

We are administering the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine to all those who have appointments this week.

We have been waiting to receive this as an alternative to Pfizer to enable us to vaccinate our inpatients, who are all considered clinically extremely vulnerable.

Before our delivery of AstraZeneca was confirmed, we had already made arrangements to begin vaccinating inpatients this week with the support of our partners at Warrington Primary Care Network. We’re delighted to have vaccinated 55 inpatients at Hollins Park yesterday.

Additional appointments have been blocked out this week to prioritise our inpatients, but there are still a number of appointments available for you to book this week. We know some of you have been waiting for AstraZeneca, so recommend you book as soon as possible as we’re unsure which vaccines we will have going forward.

Getting vaccinated is a personal choice, but we are encouraging as many of you as possible to protect yourself, your loved ones, your colleagues and your patients by having the vaccine. NHS England/Improvement have written a letter to all health and care staff urging people to protect themselves as soon as possible to help fight the virus.

Appointments can be booked for yourself or for someone you know who is within one of the four top priority groups as identified by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI):

  • Residents in a care home for older adults and their carers
  • Those 80 years of age and over / frontline health and social care workers
  • Those 75 years of age and over
  • Those 70 years of age and over / clinically extremely vulnerable (shielding) individuals of any age

In line with government guidance, we are unable to vaccinate anyone who does not fit within these four categories. Thank you for respecting our processes and for your patience while we prioritise vulnerable groups.

Appointments must be booked online. People cannot just turn up.

Each slot is 10 minutes, but the whole process (including pre-checks, paperwork and aftercare) is expected to take between 30 and 45 minutes. All appointments are at the Gail Briers Education Centre at Hollins Park in Warrington.

Please note, we are not yet releasing appointments for next week until we have clarity about how many doses and which vaccine we will have available to us.

If you have received your first dose of the Pfizer vaccine, please be assured you will receive Pfizer for your second dose. This has been factored in to the planning process.

Full details about the vaccine, booking process, what to expect at your appointment and FAQs are on StaffZone.