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Details of the NHS ‘response to the “gigantic challenge” of implementing any coronavirus vaccine will be made public next week, Professor Jonathan Van Tam said today.
England’s Deputy Medical Office said it is “very reassured” that the NHS could offer to launch any vaccine that is approved.
He said at a press conference in Downing Street: “We need speed and high buy-in to get the big win here.”
There will be an NHS briefing next week on implementation plans, he said, and it will not “steal its thunder” by giving details.
But he said the obvious questions include whether there is enough cooling capacity, whether the transport systems are adequate, and whether there are enough needles and syringes.
“The answer to which I am very calm in all those points. An absolute army of people has been working on this for months behind the scenes, in silence, ”he said.
“However, I am absolutely convinced that the huge NHS team behind this has understood the importance and challenge of the project and is ready for it.”
It comes when GPs said they will need support to implement the Covid-19 vaccination program, as health chiefs recognized that some other family doctor services may need to be reduced.
Professor Martin Marshall, president of the Royal College of GP, said existing pressures meant that family doctors would need the help of their colleagues to manage the vaccination program, which will be implemented from December 1.
He told BBC Radio 4’s Today show on Wednesday that it was okay for GPs to be at the center of vaccination, but added: “We cannot do everything with current resources.
“The problem here is mainly about the staff.
“We can’t do the usual things that we do in general practice: caring for patients with acute illnesses, dealing with people who might have cancer, dealing with people who have long-term conditions, continuing to administer immunizations, other immunization programs, at al the same time that the vaccine is delivered without having additional personnel ”.
When asked if this meant that GPs could not help patients without additional resources, Professor Marshall said: “Let me clarify, we are saying that we need to continue to care for patients who have the health problems that I have described. , that is to say absolutely essential.
“General practice cannot close the deal, because we are a very important part of the NHS.
“The question is, how do we get the staff to allow us to keep doing those things.”
NHS England has told its 1,250 primary care networks to designate a single practice in their area capable of delivering vaccinations from 8am to 8pm seven days a week, including holidays if necessary.
But in a letter to GPs, Dr Nikki Kanani, NHS England’s chief medical officer for primary care, acknowledged that doctors may have to prioritize what they do.
“Our shared ambition is that the general practice remains completely open and accessible to all patients.
“We also recognize that the additional workload of a Covid-19 vaccination program may require practices to prioritize clinical activity.”
Each of the dedicated GP clinics will need the capacity to administer at least 975 doses per week.
Clinics will be paid £ 12.58 for each dose, which is equivalent to £ 25.16 for each vaccinated patient in a two-dose course, documents show.
Patients will also need to be observed for 15 minutes after the vaccine is administered, while annual flu shots and Covid-19 vaccines must be given at least a week apart.
NHS England documents say that appointments can be managed through a national reservation system.
They said: “Once patients are notified by the national call / recall service that they are eligible for a vaccine, they would have the option of booking an appointment at a vaccination center run by general practice or using the national reserve service to be vaccinated by another provider. “
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said Tuesday that he expected GPs to play an important role in administering any coronavirus injection.
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