Apology Issued To Patients For Cancelled Vaccine Appointments

A health authority has apologised after the short-notice closure of a Covid-19 vaccination centre meant some patients weren’t told their appointments were cancelled and found the doors closed when they arrived.

`As we reported yesterday Hampshire and Isle of Wight Partnership of Clinical Commissioning Group was forced to close its clinic at Winchester Holiday Inn` after deliveries of vaccination failed to arrive.

Rachael King, Director of Commissioning (South West) for NHS West Hampshire Clinical Commissioning Group, said: “Regrettably, we are aware that there were problems contacting all of the people attending a clinic at Winchester Holiday Inn this week, and some people were inconvenienced as a result. We apologise unreservedly to anyone affected.”

Ms King: “The Covid-19 vaccination programme is one of the largest programmes ever undertaken by the NHS, and frontline teams and support staff are working hard to protect people and save lives, as quickly as possible.

“Getting this right, at pace, involves a huge amount of co-ordination both nationally and locally and sometimes plans have to change, at short notice.”

Deliveries of vaccines to local primary care network areas are currently co-ordinated nationally.

Earlier today vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi admitted that vaccination supply had been “lumpy” after reports from GP surgeries they could not get hold of any.

But he insisted the situation was “getting better” telling the Commons Science and Technology Committee: “I now have line of sight of deliveries all the way through until end of February and getting more confidence about March as well.

“We have millions of doses coming through in the weeks and then next month and the month after.”