GP hub vaccination services that have relocated to the Saga building in Ramsgate will continue throughout April.
This is despite the temporary halt in the majority of first jabs from the Kent Community Health Trust at the same building from April 1. Second jab appointments are not affected.
Dr Ash Peshen, who is one of the GPs with the Margate/Mocketts Wood hub, said: “Saga site vaccinations being delivered by practices will be open throughout April . We want to reassure our Thanet residents that we have sufficient supplies of vaccine coming through for doing the second doses.
“It is very important that people keep coming because every person we jab is a life saved.”
The Margate/Mocketts hub – made up of GPs from Mocketts Wood, Northdown, Bethesda and The Limes – vaccinated 3,500 people at a clinic held last Tuesday using the AstraZeneca vaccine.
The GPs are aiming to vaccinate some 2,700 people at a clinic at Saga this coming Tuesday (March 30). They are offering ‘drop-in’ jabs on that day from 8am to 8pm.
This is for patients from:
Margate – Any practice.
Broadstairs – Any practice.
Westgate Surgery
Birchington Medical Practice
Minster Surgery
Ash Surgery
Eligible patients must be:
Aged 50 and above
Between the age of 18 to 64 and clinically vulnerable
The JCVI defines patients who are clinically vulnerable as those with:
- chronic respiratory disease, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cystic fibrosis and severe asthma
- chronic heart disease (and vascular disease)
- chronic kidney disease
- chronic liver disease
- chronic neurological disease including epilepsy
- Down’s syndrome
- severe and profound learning disability
- diabetes
- solid organ, bone marrow and stem cell transplant recipients
- people with specific cancers
- immunosuppression due to disease or treatment
- asplenia and splenic dysfunction
- morbid obesity
- severe mental illness
- younger adults in long-stay nursing and residential care settings.
- adult carers (those in receipt of a carer’s allowance or who are the sole or primary carer of a person who is at high risk from COVID) will also fall into this cohort.
A further 1,170 jabs are planned for second doses of Pfizer vaccine given by the GP hub at the Saga site on Thursday, April 1 running from 8am until 5.30pm. These are invite only and aimed at patients from Westgate , Minster , Ash, Birchington Broadstairs medical practice and St Peters practice.
A further second dose Pfizer clinic on April 7 will be invite only and aimed at patients from The Limes, Northdown ,Bethesda and Mocketts Wood.
Ramsgate vaccination clinics are carried out at the Montefiore Medical Centre. The Ramsgate GP surgeries will contact their patients for jabs. They are currently concentrating on group 6 patients who are defined as adults aged 16 to 65 years in an at-risk group. (typically those patients invited for an annual flu jab due to an underlying condition). Staff are currently working through the list of patients eligible to be called.
Kent Community Health Trust oversees operations in the other half of the Saga building. The Trust says there will be limited availability for first dose jabs from their service in April but second doses are not affected by the vaccine shortage and temporary halt to some services.
A spokesperson for NHS Kent and Medway Clinical Commissioning Group said: “The NHS vaccination programme continues to make strong progress across Kent and Medway vaccinating over 800,000 people.
“In line with available supply, our vaccination centres will continue to offer appointments for second doses and GPs will continue to contact eligible patients for vaccinations throughout April.”
If you are aged 50 or over you can book online or call 119.
The organisation at Saga cannot be faulted except only 2 disabled bays in car park, but I did notice several wheelchairs at the bottom of the ramp otherwise excellent service all staff and volunteers brilliant
There are 6 disabled bays in total
Please keep up this excellent work, it is much appreciated. Thank you.
There’s a big difference between wheelchair accessible and wheelchair friendly at Saga building.
The ramp is not smooth but has added ridges which if your unlucky enough to have spinal pain you get to feel every one up and
Every one down.
It was a very painful experience for my wife in her electric wheelchair.
Carl, did you mention it to them when you got inside?
What’s the point ? They watched and winced at my wife’s face as she felt every bump on the way in and out.
Nothing that could be done as it’s the only way in and out with a ramp, just making the point of the difference.
It’s not until your in a wheelchair do you even notice these things.
The see a ramp and tick a box, you see a ramp with wooden struts for non slip and tick another box.
Nobody considers how uncomfortable it would be for a wheelchair user.
We were even warned about it by a family member the day before as she saw another user being bumped up and down, but you have no choice when it’s your only access.
All in all we still feel very lucky and privileged to have had our second jab and would do it again if need be, just have to ensure the pain for the reward.
“All in all we still feel very lucky and privileged to have had our second jab and would do it again if need be, just have to ensure the pain for the reward.”
Good to see a bit of positivity.
@carl as someone who has worked in that building for 15 years , I can confirm that the building has more than one accessible entrance. The main entrance, although ramped is one of 3 accessible entrances •. If you go back there for your next, all you need to do is ask.
“What’s the point”…….I’ll tell you what the point is, it’s the point disabled people put prior to 1971 when disabled parking bays were introduced! if no makes an effort to ‘point’ things out to those that wouldn’t recognize a problem because it doesn’t effect them, then nothing would get done.
He’s got a ‘Point’ Carl Davis…🤔😂
Well I pointed it out … feel free to do what you want with my point.
I see your point, but I don’t see the point of this conversation now, so I’m gonna point myself in the other direction.
I think I made my point now.
Carl Davis, I’m afraid the only point you’ve made is to show yourself as someone that complains about situations via social media rather than attempt to sort it out at the very place that may actually be able to put right a problem to help others in the future.
Buck …
I’ve fought many battles thanks, that was not one to win on the day.
Thank you for your judgement of me though.
I’ll not be so presumptuous, as to judge you and your life, without knowing anything about you.
If discomfort is felt by wheelchair uses for every little bump they go over
They should complain to the wheelchair makers for the lack of adequate suspension which should be fitted to their wheelchairs. They are not cheap to buy and should be much more user friendly.
Bill
We have 3 wheelchairs in excess of £10,000 and yes you are correct, comfort is not always achievable despite the high price paid
Hi Carl, yes I think it’s bad enough that ones disability has made them have to use a wheelchair to get around then for the wheelchair to be uncomfortable to use is appalling that should never be. It can’t be rocket science for the wheelchair makers of both push-alongs and electric scooters / wheelchairs to make them very comfortable to use. Especially as you have paid out a great deal of money for your wife’s mobility.
Good health and happiness to you both.
I’m a key-worker, and have yet to receive my 1st jab, even tho I hear of 1000’s upon 1000’s that have already had the 2nd dose. Although I’m not on the vulnerable list and I’m only 49(50 in September)…..I think key-workers should have been a little further up the ladder…….
Carl, I’m not making a judgement of you or your life, I’m only making a judgement of your choice not to bother saying one short sentence to someone at the Saga centre but to to take ample time to promote your complaint on social media, not sure why you would assume it to be a “battle on the day” to merely mention the ramp!!
I’m a wheelchair user and the ramp at the front of the SAGA building is terrible. I mentioned it to three members of staff on arrival. No one mentioned to me that there was an alternative ramp to use on my way out or for my follow up jab.
But…… well done to you for mentioning it, may I ask, we’re you visiting the GP or the NHS side? I’m back there tomorrow, I’ll ask if anything can be done or maybe an alternative entrance/exit.