Health and social care workers urged to book vaccine appointment

Health and social care workers in the Rochdale borough are now being encouraged to get in touch if they have not had their first Covid-19 vaccination invite.

Anyone in this group who has not yet received an invitation for a vaccine can now book their appointment at one of the four vaccination centres in the borough by calling 0300 303 0355 (Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm, Saturday and Sunday 10am to 4pm) or emailing hmrccg.hmr.enquiries@nhs.net

This invitation to health and social care worked follows the invitation last week for residents aged 70 or above to book an appointment using the contact information above.

The invitation to book an appointment currently only applies to residents aged 70 or above and health and social care workers who have yet to be invited for their first Covid-19 jab and are registered with a GP in the borough (Heywood, Littleborough, Middleton, Milnrow and Rochdale).

Anyone not in the first four priority groups should continue to wait until they are contacted by the NHS.
 

Read more: Residents aged 70 and over urged to book vaccine appointmentPublished: 04 February 2021

More than 35,000 residents across the borough have now received a vaccine since the programme began in December.

The priority groups that are in phase one of the vaccination programme include everyone aged 50 or above, those with underlying health conditions and health care workers.

The borough is on track to offer vaccination appointments to everyone in the top four priority groups before 15 February.

• Group 1 - residents in a care home for older adults and their carers
• Group 2 - people aged 80 years and over, and frontline health and social care workers
• Group 3 - people aged 75-79
• Group 4 - people aged 70-74, and high risk people aged 16 and over (the clinically extremely vulnerable)
• Group 5 - people aged 65-69
• Group 6 - people over 16 with long term conditions and carers (the main carer of an elderly or disabled person)
• Group 7 - people aged 60-64
• Group 8 - people aged 55-59
• Group 9 - people aged 50-54

Rochdale Online understands that the number of people in the borough in the top four groups is around 45,000.

The borough now has four community vaccination centres in operation; the site at Number One Riverside can get up to 1,250 vaccinations completed per day (depending on supply). Vaccinations are also being administered at Rochdale Infirmary five days a week.

Residents may be invited to have the vaccination at the Greater Manchester NHS Vaccination Centre at the Etihad Campus in East Manchester, one of the national large-scale vaccination sites.

The Greater Manchester centre is an additional option for people, who, once they have been contacted to make an appointment, can book through the national booking service online or over the phone. If it is not convenient for you to travel so far for a vaccination, you can opt to wait to be invited to attend one of the local vaccination centres in the Rochdale borough instead.

The local vaccination programme is being run by groups of GPs with the support of the council and NHS Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale Clinical Commissioning Group.

When it is your turn to receive the vaccine, you will be contacted by Rochdale Health Alliance or your GP surgery and invited to go for your appointment. If you’re not registered with a GP, you will need to register with one.

Appointments for the local vaccination centres are not currently being made weeks in advance because deliveries of the vaccine are only known about a few days in advance. Admin staff can only book a first appointment for a patient when the vaccine is available so at the moment appointments will be at short notice.

You must have an appointment to receive the vaccine. You cannot just turn up at one of the vaccination service centres.

Answers to key questions around the vaccination process can be found at:

• www.rochdale.gov.uk/covidvaccine