Update for Patients of GP Practices in New Malden, Worcester Park and West Barnes

The 6 GP practices in our area have been asked to work together on delivery of the Covid-19 Vaccination Programme. We expect to receive our first doses of the vaccine at the start of January 2020. You may hear of people locally who are receiving a vaccination before then. This is because some other local groupings of GP practices are receiving the vaccine sooner – the first wave in Kingston will be starting in week commencing 14th December.

Initial supplies of the vaccine will be limited, and we have to use what we receive quickly. We have to target those at highest risk first, which for our programme will be those aged 80 and over. There are challenges in transporting and storing the vaccine so different arrangements are required for people living in care homes and those who are housebound, and arrangements for these groups is not yet finalised.

We have been instructed that we should deliver the vaccinations at a local ‘hub’, which needs to be large enough to support expected high numbers of patients every day later in the vaccination programme, whilst maintaining social distancing. We have selected the Cavendish Halls attached to the New Malden United Reformed Church near the Fountain Roundabout, and are grateful to the Vicar and Church Elders for agreeing to this and for the support they have given in our planning so far.

We will be contacting patients to arrange booking into our first vaccination clinics. Please don’t contact your GP practice to ask / chase as we are not able to change the way the vaccination will be rolled out or adjust the groups that patients have been place in. This is a national scheme that we will be following

We are looking for people to help us deliver the vaccination programme. We are expecting that we will be delivering vaccination sessions daily, into the evenings and at weekends for several months. If you have experience in carrying out injections and have some time available, or if you are interested in volunteering to help in the general running of the clinics, please contact us by email to swlccg.nmwp.pcn@nhs.net.