Hundreds vaccinated at sites Selsey and Tangmere – but concerns remain about roll-out

Staff at Tangmere Hall, which opened as a vaccination clinic on Friday, and the Selsey Centre, which opened on Saturday, adminstered jabs to more than 1,500 over four days.

The sites will vaccinate another 1,500 people this week, a spokesperson for the Sussex Covid-19 Vaccination Programme confirmed.

Dr Hannah Davies, medical director for NHS West Sussex CCG, said: “It is fantastic to see that these two further GP led vaccination services are now live for people in the Chichester district.”

Meanwhile Riverbank Medical Centre in Midhurst began vaccinating patients from both Midhurst and Petworth yesterday (Wednesday, January 20), and aims to have all patients over the age of 80 vaccinated by the end of this week.

The spokesman said this was ‘excellent progress’.

Vaccinations also started in Pulborough for those in the north of the district earlier this month.

However residents in Chichester have continued to raise concerns about disparities in the vaccine roll-out across the area.

Leanne Ellaway said she feared it has resulted in a ‘postcode lottery’.

She said her elderly parents, who live in Soutbourne, and their friends had received no news about the vaccine as of Monday.

“However, those in Emsworth have had excellent access to the Covid vaccine to the extent that they are now at a point of focusing on priority groups 3 and 4 ( over 70s),” she said.

“Older people who have paid their taxes, given back to the community and are prevented from living their lives are facing significant inequality.”

A spokesperson for the Sussex Covid-19 Vaccination Programme said the NHS was still working hard to vaccinate those in the first two priority groups.

The spokesman said: “This week we also have the direction that over 70s are to begin receiving vaccination invitations.

“In Sussex, the NHS continues working hard to vaccinate the first two priority cohorts recommended by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) – residents and staff in care homes for older people, those aged 80 and over and frontline health and care staff.

“Once services have vaccinated the majority of people in these cohorts, they will have the flexibility to offer vaccinations to the next two cohorts – those aged 70 and over and clinically extremely vulnerable people.

“This will keep up the pace of the vaccine roll-out, ensuring no vaccination appointments are unused and prevent wastage.”

The sites at Tangmere Hall and Selsey Centre will be vaccinating patients at: Cathedral Medical Group, Langley House Surgery, Lavant Road Surgery, Parklands Surgery, Selsey Medical Practice, Southbourne Surgery, Tangmere Medical Centre and Witterings Medical Centre.

People will be contacted by the NHS when it is their turn to receive the vaccine and are asked to not contact their GP to ask for it – you will be contacted by the NHS as soon as an appointment is available, the spokesman said.

Travelling to get a vaccine during lockdown is allowed, including receiving a lift from someone or using community transport providers.