Successful launch of new Selby hub sees hundreds of people receive the COVID-19 vaccine
The new hub, which is run by Selby Town Primary Care Network, is to serve a population of nearly 50,000 people, and it opened its doors to its first patients last Friday (February 12).
About 1,800 people in the 70+ age group received a dose of the vaccine across two clinics held at the newly converted Summit Indoor Adventure Centre on Friday and Saturday.
The centre has been purpose-designed to replace Posterngate Surgery as the vaccination hub for people served by Escrick Surgery, Beech Tree Surgery, Posterngate Surgery and Scott Road Medical Centre. It will initially have capacity to vaccinate up to 5,000 people a week, rising to 7,000 as the vaccination programme progresses.
The successful launch of the centre is a testament to the dedicated work of Kath and others in our Primary Care Network, particularly our operations manager Richard Gregory. Since Selby District Council handed over the centre to us at the end of January, an intensive programme of conversion and testing has taken place to ensure we were able to start vaccinating people on Friday.
“These careful preparations by our staff and volunteers meant the launch of the new centre, which has been designed for hundreds of people to pass through every day, went smoothly – and it was great to see so many people happy to be getting their vaccines.
“Everyone at Selby Town Primary Care Network wishes Kath a speedy recovery.”
'The NHS is inviting eligible people in a phased basis'
Thousands more people will be invited to the centre in the coming weeks and months by the local NHS to receive their first and second doses of the vaccine, as the rollout of the programme expands to accommodate various age groups. The NHS is inviting eligible people in a phased basis as supplies of the vaccine allow, and everyone will be offered a vaccine in due course.
The children’s play centre has been closed since March due to coronavirus restrictions. The site was chosen by the Primary Care Network because it offers off-street parking, a one-way system through the vaccination process, space for patients to be observed for 15 minutes after their vaccination, disabled access and minimal impact on residential areas. It will be used as a vaccination centre for a minimum of seven months, and Selby District Council is considering long-term options for the venue.
