PEOPLE living in Selby district have started to receive the coronavirus vaccine.

Posterngate Surgery and Tadcaster Health Centre will both be acting as a ‘primary care hubs’ on behalf of the Selby Town and Tadcaster and Rural Selby Primary Care Networks (PCNs).

Eligible patients currently aged over 84 in the area who are most at risk from serious harm of COVID-19 have started to receive the much awaited vaccine.

The priority groups are in line with the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) in order to protect the most vulnerable.

Dr Richard Stockley, Lead GP at Posterngate Surgery, said: "We are pleased to have started vaccinating our most vulnerable patients this week. It has taken a huge effort to get to this point and it's only been possible because of the collective energy of colleagues within our Primary Care Network.

“We are all set up and ready to vaccinate people efficiently and safely. It’s incredibly exciting knowing that we will be one of the first GP practices to provide the vaccine and it’s great news for people in the Selby area, but there’s no need to get in touch to ask when you can have it - we’ll be contacting the most vulnerable people in order of priority, so you’ll be hearing from us when it’s your turn.”

GP practices have been working closely together in local groups known as Primary Care Networks (PCNs) with vaccination sites providing the vaccine to patients across a number of member practices – not just those on their own surgery list.  People in the ‘at risk’ priority groups will be contacted to make an appointment no matter which practice they are registered with.

Dr Steve Lovisetto, PCN Clinical Director and GP Lead at South Milford Surgery, said: “Within our Primary Care Networks we are proud to have started our vaccination programme and are pleased to say that it is going really well with all those invited attending for the vaccine. At the moment we are concentrating on our oldest patients and those with co-morbidities or more at risk and have also started to vaccinate care home staff where we can.

“It has been a show of great team work across our practices and a really positive experience for staff and patients and we look forward to be able to vaccinate all our population over the coming weeks when vaccine becomes available.”

Following the go live of the first GP practice vaccination sites, the local NHS is working with PCNs to mobilise additional large and small community sites over the coming weeks and months.

Dr Nigel Wells, Clinical Chair of NHS Vale of York Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), said: “People are understandably eager to get vaccinated and colleagues in local NHS services will contact you when it is time for you to get your jab – please don’t contact your practice, eligible patients will be invited for the vaccination by their practice.

“The vaccine is really great news and a cause for optimism but there is still a long way to go.  We can’t afford to be complacent; this is a going to be a huge task and we would like to urge local people to bear with us and to be patient.

“The best thing we can all do to protect ourselves, our families and our communities is to keep following the guidance; wash your hands, cover your face, and make space.”