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It was once the place where famous faces like Bruce Forsyth, Les Dennis, Dale Winton, and Jim Bowen filmed much-loved television shows for us to enjoy for an evening.
But now the old Central and Carlton television studio on Lenton Lane in Nottingham is being used for a very different reason.
The King’s Meadow university campus now administers more than 1,000 Covid-19 vaccines a day as part of the largest NHS deployment in history.
Nottinghamshire Live visited the site to show what it’s really like for residents who visit to receive their jab.
Although many stage lights still hang from the ceiling, the NHS has now taken over the great hall with spaced rows of seats as Nottinghamshire residents show up relieved for their jab.
Unauthorized airline personnel, college students and even firefighters are helping distribute the vaccine after being trained and recruited to help with the big operation.
Residents are directed to the main room which has been divided into three different sections.
(Image: Joseph Raynor / Nottingham Post)
This is the administration area where you reserve, the vaccine area where administrators guide you through the process and then deliver the vaccine, and the waiting area where you sit for 15 minutes after the injection to check for immediate reactions. .
It is a simple process. During our site visit, dozens of residents had their jab prior to the afternoon staff change in the space of around 45 minutes.
On-site senior operations manager Tom Evans helped establish the center of nowhere after initially working at Queen’s Medical Center in December kicking off the first shots here.
Both the Oxford / AstraZeneca jab and the Pfizer jab are given to patients here, and most are Pfizer.
Tom told Nottinghamshire Live: “It is a privilege to be a part of this. This is what everyone was waiting for.
(Image: Joseph Raynor / Nottingham Post)
“The most important day we had here was the administration of 1,950 vaccines in one day, which was an amazing achievement.
“On average, on a weekday, around 1,000 people pass through here, so there is a lot of activity.”
Tom acknowledged that the center initially went through some initial problems as people queued outside for about 90 minutes to get in one day.
But he said systems like now have been put in place to urge people not to show up early and to wait in their car if they can for their appointment time.
“We had a case where some people were early for their appointments which put pressure on the system and some people just hadn’t booked at all. But now we have simplified the process and the flow is very good here.
“It’s about learning as you go. This is very different in terms of scale than anything that’s been done before.
“It’s about how we manage the staff to deal with the numbers now. We have brought in people from other industries, like people licensed in the airline industry to come and help or retired staff from the NHS.
“It really is a community coming together to help manage as many as possible.”
(Image: Joseph Raynor / Nottingham Post)
Jim Adams, 29, of Chilwell, has been seconded by the Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service for six months to work at the center and help strike.
Jim, who usually works at the Highfield and Stapleford fire stations, said, “I’m really enjoying it. This is the road to freedom for us and back to that pub.
“It’s a little different from day work, but it’s good. We’re doing 12-hour shifts, it’s a different kind of tiredness. You’re concentrating a lot on work and people come really fast.
“It’s a very nice atmosphere here, people come in with a smile on their faces. This is what they were waiting for.”
George Budden is a University of Nottingham medical student who is also helping to administer the vaccine.
(Image: Joseph Raynor / Nottingham Post)
He said, “I think it’s the most exciting thing I’ve ever done. Everyone is working towards the same goal. We are getting patients through the door that they are really excited to be here and they are all working really well together.”
Delivering a message to people who may not be sure to get the vaccine, he said: “I would understand why people may be concerned, but once you get here there are so many people who will guide you through the process and that is really quite comfortable things to do.
“We have vaccinated 12 million people now (in the UK) and we can see that they are working and that they are safe, so please come and get your vaccine.”
Nottinghamshire residents 65 and older are now being invited to receive their Covid-19 vaccine as the launch takes its next steps.
Text messages and letters inviting those over 65 to get vaccinated will begin to be sent and anyone eligible can also book through the local reservation site or by calling 0115 883 4640.
City and county council teams are also calling people who have not yet signed up for their vaccine to help and support them in getting their vaccine.
This week GPs in Ashfield, Newark and Nottingham City are reaching out to eligible patients who are most vulnerable to receiving their vaccinations as part of more emerging clinics, to help protect them against Covid-19.
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