Coronavirus in Portsmouth: Southsea pharmacy racing to increase booster jab appointments

A team of five vaccinators at Goldchem Pharmacy in Albert Road, Southsea, were doing some 200 boosters a day prior to Boris Johnson revealing a huge ramping up of the national effort on Sunday.

Now bosses are drafting in four part-time vaccinators, looking to extend weekend opening hours and already have pharmacists jabbing at lunchtimes.

Clinical director Rohan Hooda said demand is huge – with 96 appointments he opened up on the NHS booking site at 11pm taken within five minutes.

He told The News: ‘We’ve ramped up as quickly as possible and we were already running pretty close to our capacity as we were told by the end of January.

‘Saying our vaccinators are stretched to the limit is an understatement. We’re recruiting more to do extra clinics.

‘We’re pushing it as hard as we can.’

It’s hoped the pharmacy can hit around 450 boosters a day – in addition to the first and second doses being given, and the flu vaccine.

But currently 10 to 15 per cent of bookings are no-shows – hampering the effort.

Rohan said: ‘We have the vaccinators, we have the skill – we just need the patients to walk through the door.’

He urged people to cancel if necessary as ‘that appointment will be gone in seconds’.

‘There are a lot of people who want it,’ he said. ‘We’re here to do as many vaccinations as we can.’

The pharmacy is not currently offering walk-ins for boosters, and staff have been subjected to negative Google reviews by those annoyed after being turned away.

But staff are working flat out. Rohan said: ‘It has been exhausting. When the end of the booster programme does come our vaccinators do deserve a proper holiday.

‘They’re not getting it this Christmas. We’re running flat out.’

The pandemic has been tough on pharmacies, added Nash Hooda, the site’s pharmacy clinical lead.

He said: ‘From the day that Covid came into our lives this pharmacy has been relentless.

‘We’ve done our best to support whatever we can as best as we can.’

He added: ‘In 40 years I’ve never worked as hard as I have – but it’s all for a good cause.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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