Drop-in vaccine clinics pop up across York

Patients living in York who have not yet received their first COVID-19 vaccine dose are being encouraged to 'grab a jab' from this weekend.

Starting on Friday 25 June, drop-in clinics will be popping up across the city allowing people aged 18 and over to easily access the vaccine without needing to book an appointment in advance, but appointments can be booked through GPs if needed.

The clinics are being held at selected venues across the city over the weekend and throughout next week. A full list of times and locations is available on the NHS Vale of York Clinical Commissioning Group website.

After a patient gets their first vaccine dose at a drop-in clinic, they can book their second dose through the national booking service, online or by phoning 119, from 24 hours afterwards.

Dr Nigel Wells, Clinical Chair of NHS Vale of York Clinical Commissioning Group, said: "We have made incredible progress in York to ensure that all of our eligible patients are vaccinated. Now is the right time to give our vaccination programme an extra boost so that as many people are protected against the virus as possible."

"People often have family, work or social commitments that can make it difficult to find the time, which is why we are making the process quick and easy by taking a flexible approach to the pop-up clinics."

Sharon Stoltz, Director of Public Health at City of York Council, said: "Vaccines significantly reduce the likelihood of you catching COVID-19 and they help stop the virus being passed on."

"With cases rising in the city, we’re opening new vaccination clinics across York. So, if you’re 18 or over and haven’t already had one of these safe and effective vaccines, please do the right thing and come and get one! The more people who are vaccinated, the safer we all are and the sooner the city and our lives can fully resume."

In York, over 228,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been delivered since the vaccination programme began. Last week, the rollout of the programme in England expanded to include all adults aged 18 and over.

Those who have had both doses of the vaccine can demonstrate their vaccination status two weeks after their second dose through the NHS COVID Pass. This can be used for travelling abroad to some countries and at a series of event trials in England

Find out more  www.valeofyorkccg.nhs.uk/GrabAJab

GP access - our latest campaign

Dr Brian McGregor is appealing for everyone to play their part in relieving the pressure on an overstretched system – and he has made it clear that there is no room for the abuse many hard-pressed practice staff are suffering from members of the public as demand for GP appointments outstrips supply.

A working GP in a village practice with 4,000 patients, Dr McGregor is Medical Secretary of YOR Local Medical Committee Ltd (YORLMC) – the professional voice for all NHS GPs and practice teams across the City of York and North Yorkshire. 

He responded to recent criticism over the availability of GP appointments, explaining: "Every GP has been working and doing their utmost during the last 15 months to make sure that we give patients what they need. We've actually been providing more appointments, particularly since October – nationally, a million more appointments every month, and from December we've also been providing the vaccination programme."

Dr McGregor said 60 million-plus doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been delivered nationally – 95 per cent by general practice staff. "That's on top of everything we do on a day-to-day basis, mainly run by volunteers from the clinical side, mainly run by people doing it in their own half-days off or in their own evenings off, or their own weekends."

He said that while the NHS "total triage" system is not GPs' preferred way of working, it was helping to reduce the risk to patients and staff of catching COVID-19. "Currently in the media, the biggest gripe and complaint about general practice is about the lack of face-to-face appointments and about the ability to actually contact practices. The simple fact is that demand is higher than capacity at the moment.

"At no point during the pandemic has general practice been closed. It's always been open, it's always been accessible and it's always been able to facilitate patient needs – although that may not be the same as a patient want.

"It's not about somebody being awkward, it's not about somebody blocking you, it's not about not giving you what you want – it's about assessing what you need and trying to make sure we address that need as quickly as we can.

"There's a process that we are following to keep people safe and to keep practices safe. Within that process, we need to hear what the problem is so we can decide where best to get you seen – sometimes, that won't be a GP. General practice now has a whole team of individuals, whether it be advanced nurse practitioners, our own nurses, healthcare practitioners, physiotherapists, pharmacists, paramedics – there's a whole group of individuals that are now providing care, and it may well be that you'll get better care than seeing a GP first and being redirected, and you might see people quicker than you would have done otherwise."

Find out more  https://www.valeofyorkccg.nhs.uk/gp-highlights-appointment-demand-risk/

Our GP access campaign is set to run for the next few months, across local and regional media, on social media and through the help and support of all our stakeholders.

Carers encouraged to get the COVID-19 vaccine

We're encouraging carers who have not yet been vaccinated against COVID-19 to get the jab to protect themselves and the person they care for.

People who receive a carer's allowance and those who are the sole or primary carer of someone who is at increased risk from COVID-19 may be eligible for the vaccine without realising it.

They are now being asked to arrange their vaccine appointment as soon as possible by using the national booking service online or by calling 119 for free from a landline or mobile between 7am-11pm.

Those who think they should be eligible as a carer, but cannot book using the national booking service, should speak to their GP surgery who may be able to arrange an appointment at a local NHS service.

A carer is someone who provides unpaid care and support to a family member or friend due to their disability, health condition, frailty, mental health problem, addiction or other health and care need. This includes looking after a child, who has special physical or mental health support needs.

Carers UK provides support for carers, with help and advice on a range of subjects available online. Support can also be accessed by email (advice@carersuk.org), or by calling 0808 808 7777 between 9am-6pm, Monday to Friday.

Working together to vaccinate homeless people in York and Selby

GP practices in the Vale of York are working with local housing services and community providers to ensure that homeless people have been able to access the COVID-19 vaccine.

The targeted vaccination programme has been led by NHS Vale of York Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), with practices based in York and Selby vaccinating people in their temporary place of residence, including rough sleeper accommodation.

York Medical Group and Scott Road Medical Centre, based in York and Selby respectively, have been vaccinating homeless people against COVID-19 as part of the national roll out to ensure that as many people as possible are able to get the vaccine.

Local housing services and community providers have played a key role in the effort by identifying and contacting people who are classified as homeless, along with volunteers who have supported the collaborative efforts of the vaccination programme.

We have published our 2020-21 annual report and financial accounts, set against what has been one of the most challenging periods for the NHS. This report is an overview of the CCG’s work between 1 April 2020 and 31 March 2021. The CCG, like all other NHS organisations, is required to publish an annual report and financial accounts at the end of each financial year.

Dr Nigel Wells, Clinical Chair at NHS Vale of York CCG, said: "The pandemic has been a huge focus for the NHS across the country, but I am very pleased to report that our transformative work to improve better outcomes for our patients has continued throughout 2020-21.

"I would like to take this opportunity to thank every member of staff in our local health and care system for their hard work, expertise and dedication, and whilst under intense pressure, responded boldly, with empathy and poise in the most difficult time the NHS has ever seen in its history.

"The last year has been unlike any other that we have experienced. I am immensely proud of the significant contribution that our CCG played in supporting our clinicians and all other professions in their care for the 360,000 people that live in the Vale of York.

"There continues to be a massive pressure on our primary care services, yet our Primary Care Networks have grown stronger, as to have our relationships with our partners. The long-standing local money issues that have hung over the local area for more than a decade have been brought to balance in the last year and clinical sharing, learning and improvement still continues."

Phil Mettam, Accountable Officer at NHS Vale of York CCG, said: “The annual report and accounts allow us to reflect, especially on this last year which has been like no other that we have experienced. I am immensely proud of the CCG's significant contribution to support our clinicians and all other professions in their care for the 360,000 people that live in the Vale of York.

"Some examples of our work that stand out for me include our engagement with patients, the public and the clinical workforce, and the work to support those in our local community with complex health and care needs. Important work to improve quality and safety continues at pace as does work to manage the local population's health through physical and mental health prevention and wellbeing strategies, and the reduction in health inequalities."

The report is made up of three parts: the first section contains details of the organisation’s performance during 2020-21, the second covers details of governance and risk and the third is the financial accounts. The report and accounts can be viewed on the CCG’s website here  

Information contained in this report can be provided in other languages upon request. Please email the CCG – valeofyork.contactus@nhs.net – if you require a translated passage or would like additional copies of the report.

Executive Director of Quality and Nursing receives top award

Michelle Carrington, Executive Director of Quality and Nursing for NHS Vale of York Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and Interim Director of Nursing for the Humber Coast and Vale Partnership, has received the Gold Chief Nursing Officer Award recognising her lifetime achievement.

The award was presented during the CCG's monthly Governing Body meeting on Thursday 6 May by Ruth May, Chief Nursing Officer for England, and came as a surprise to Michelle who was not aware that she would be receiving it.

Having started her career in 1986 as a student nurse, Michelle had an expansive career in a number of roles before joining NHS Vale of York CCG since 2014. Throughout her career she has been defined by the quality of her leadership and that was pivotal to ensure the financial stability of the CCG.

The Gold Chief Nursing Award was launched at the Chief Nursing Officer Summit in 2019 to recognise lifetime achievements for nurses and midwives. Award recipients are nominated by senior teams and it is awarded by either the Chief Nursing Officer for England and their deputies or the Chief Midwifery Officer.

When asked about what receiving the award meant to her, Michelle said: "It was a real honour and huge surprise to receive the award last week. What the award says to me is that people took the time to put me forward and thought me worthy which is incredibly humbling."

Ruth May, Chief Nursing Officer for England, said: "I want to say a personal thank you to Michelle for her significant, outstanding contribution to our profession over a number of years. This award is a testament to her excellent leadership as Executive Director of Quality and Nursing and to her commitment to patients and residents in the Vale of York."

Dr Nigel Wells, Clinical Chair of NHS Vale of York CCG, said: "I am delighted that Michelle has been awarded the Gold Chief Nursing Officer award; we are so lucky to have such a knowledgeable and caring chief nurse working for our population."

"Michelle has galvanised and led teams regionally and locally during the COVID-19 pandemic, she has gone over and above with regards her efforts to ensure that all residents have been able to access care, tests and vaccinations. The Governing Body of the CCG was so pleased to be able to be there to see Michelle collect the award."