Thanks are pouring in for the work of CHP in supporting the setting up of a major Covid vaccination site in Manchester.
The site, in the Vallance Centre in Brunswick near to the city centre, administered 1063 vaccines last week (11-15 Jan 2021). This week they delivered 509 in one day! The staff have been joined by local volunteers who say it is the best and most efficient site they have visited yet. The site has ‘thank you boards’ with many positive comments and good wishes for the vaccine centre teams.
The CHP North West Property Team, including Sam Hill, Andrea Whittingham and Dan Stevenson-Lenard were key to its delivery. Work included planning out a one-way system, providing information materials, organising extra security and cleaning, organising car parking and outdoor shelters. We also supported Manchester Local Care Organisation (MLCO) in moving services into bookable space to create a suite of rooms that would support the vaccination delivery. The team undertook daily operations calls in the run-up to opening to ensure the action plan was delivered.
Local businesses (solicitors and GP practices) have sponsored the delivery of hot meals every day for the staff and volunteers and people have been baking cakes for them as well. We have been thanked for all our work by the GPs, patients, relatives, volunteers and Manchester University NHS FT.
Visiting the Vallance Centre for a vaccination
One person who has visited the site with an elderly relative is Colette Booth, Head of Customer Communications at CHP, who recognises the benefits of designing and running these centres effectively.
“I know how much incredible work has been going on across our properties; however, I thought I would highlight this one – one of the reasons being that this is the centre to which I took an 83-year-old relative for her first jab last Friday.
“The lady is extremely anxious and has a particular phobia about health issues. She asked me to take her because I ‘work in the NHS’ (!!) She also hates going anywhere which is not familiar and this is not her doctor’s surgery.
“In the days leading up to the appointment, she rang me 3-4 times a day worrying and asking questions about what it would be like, could I go in with her and so on and she also rang her GP asking the same questions.
“On the day the experience was absolutely fantastic. From arrival, we were directed to a car parking space and asked if we needed to park nearer to the door.
“Every time someone left a seat, it was cleaned. Everyone was reassuring and even making a few jokes to put people at ease. More frail people were helped – my relative is quite deaf (although she doesn’t think so!) and people were very patient and allowed me to help.
“Even when she had the jab, there were two people and one distracted her while the other did it. She hardly felt it.
“On the way out we were helped again (15 minutes wait monitored) and shown the way out through the one-way system.
“I’m quite an emotional person but I literally had tears in my eyes with pride and hope. And best of all, my relative felt the same and says she’s not worried at all about having the second jab. If you knew her, you’d know how incredible this actually is. I can’t thank everyone enough – and if you look at the other comments, other patients feel the same. We should be very proud.”
The Vallance Centre is one of more than 100 CHP sites, across the country delivering Covid-19 vaccinations. Read more: CHP supports more that 100 vaccination sites nationwide (Jan 2021)
