Chief Executive's Column - February 2021

While COVID-19 and national lockdown restrictions continue to dominate our everyday lives, we remain cautious but optimistic here in Lincolnshire.

NHS organisations have been working incredibly hard to maintain services, while rising to the additional demands of COVID-19 and, over the last month, we have been able to share a very positive story in relation to vaccine delivery.

We have been very fortunate to be one of the first areas in the country to open two large COVID-19 vaccination sites alongside smaller hubs being coordinated by local GPs, also known as Primary Care Networks.

Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust (LCHS) is responsible for overseeing these two large centres, which are based at Princess Royal Sports Arena (PRSA) in Boston and Lincolnshire Showground in Lincoln.

Together, they offer a combined capacity of up to 2,500 vaccinations each day, with the PRSA currently the biggest large scale vaccination site in the region outside of Birmingham.

Combined with the efforts of the local hubs, Lincolnshire continues to make good progress in vaccinating priority groups, with hopes that we will very soon be able to move beyond vaccinating people aged over 70 thanks to the swift progress we have made to date.

This is all made possible thanks to our teams of clinical staff and volunteers, who, especially through the adverse weather we have had this month, have worked above and beyond the call of duty to ensure vaccines are available seven days a week.

I know the feedback they have received from members of the public about the many positive and reassuring experiences have been very much appreciated.

I recognise it can feel a daunting prospect to make the journey to attend an appointment, especially for those who have remained shielding at home for almost a year, but I hope the shared successes and experiences of others are helping to make you feel more at ease.

At the time of writing this, more than 13million first doses of the vaccine have been delivered across the UK.

No matter which hub you receive your vaccination, Lincolnshire’s NHS staff and volunteers are here to reassure you and help you through the process. It really does bring to life our ongoing ‘Let’s Do This Together’ campaign, which encourages each and every one of us to undertake five simple acts to support each other.

If for any reason you are unable to attend your COVID-19 vaccination appointment, please call 119 for further guidance.

You can find more information about COVID-19 guidance and the vaccine at gov.uk/coronavirus.