Coronavirus in Portsmouth: St James' Hospital vaccination centre set to open by February

Solent NHS Trust confirmed people recommended for an injection will be invited to the Milton site as part of the region's plans to fight the virus.

Most people who get an appointment will receive a letter from their GP.

Vaccinations will initially be given in line with the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation recommendations.

Yesterday Jenny Erwin, a senior director in the NHS in Hampshire, told a public meeting the centre will be live by ‘the beginning of February’.

The new centre and a new service in Milton will mean ‘more people will be able to get vaccinated,’ the trust said.

Dr Dan Baylis, chief medical officer at the trust, said: ‘We are proud that Solent NHS Trust has been asked to support the delivery of the Covid-19 vaccination programme across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

‘Coronavirus has been the single biggest public health emergency in NHS history, and I am incredibly grateful to everyone who was involved in setting up the vaccination centres across the county and on the island.

‘This continues to be such a challenging time for NHS colleagues, and it is testament to the hard work of everyone across the NHS that we are able to deliver this at the same time as continuing to be there for everyone who needs care.’

The centre will be bolstered by a service at Southsea Medical Centre in Carlisle Road.

Queen Alexandra Hospital is already classed as a hospital hub, and there are two vaccination services in Gosport, two in the Fareham area, one in Waterlooville, Hayling Island, Emsworth and four in Portsmouth.

Dr Uma Rani Padmanabhi, from the trust’s Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (Camhs), was one of the first at Solent to receive the vaccine.

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She said: ‘The past year has been such an incredibly difficult time for everyone, particularly for those working across the frontline of the NHS – but getting the vaccine really does give us all a sense of hope and optimism that this may be the beginning of the road to normality.

‘I would strongly encourage everyone to take the opportunity to receive the vaccine when it is available to them.’

As well as St James, they are at Basingstoke fire station and The Riverside Centre, Isle of Wight.

Portsmouth council leader Gerald Vernon-Jackson said: ‘I think we have managed to get a very good level of vaccines happening in Portsmouth already but the more we can do the better. Our six sites are working very successfully.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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