Gillian Keegan MP ‘blown away’ by vaccine roll-out at St Richard’s Hospital

Gillian Keegan visited the hub to meet and thank the vaccination teams made up of NHS staff and volunteers.

The hub, which has been operational since January 4, is administering the Pfizer-BioNTech jab, the first of the three approved vaccines approved for use by the MRHA.

More than 10,000 vaccines had been administered across both St Richard’s and Worthing Hospital as of Friday 15, the day of her visit.

The figure included 62 per cent of hospital staff, as well as many more healthcare professionals working within the social care and community care sectors.

After her visit, she said: “I was blown away by the highly technical nature of administering the vaccines, involving a painstakingly meticulous process to prepare and dilute the vaccines before injection.

“The team at St Richard’s are quite simply fantastic, and their positive attitude and resolve is inspiring given the huge pressure they’ve been under for nearly a year.

“I can’t thank them enough, and all the brilliant volunteers who have stepped up to help with the roll-out locally.”

The hospital is responsible for vaccinating healthcare professionals at the vanguard of the Covid-19 response.

Meanwhile, GP-led services in Tangmere, Selsey and Pulborough are supporting the Chichester District’s efforts to vaccinate those over the age of 80.

Riverbank Medical Centre in Midhurst has confirmed that vaccinations for its patients would begin at the practice tomorrow.

Petworth Surgery also hopes to start offering the Covid-19 vaccination to patients ‘in the next two weeks’.

Ms Keegan has now compiled a vaccine page on her website in order to update residents on the roll-out locally.

Find it at www.gilliankeegan.com/coronavirus-vaccine