"Lead provider” of Shropshire’s coronavirus vaccinations has changed

THE “lead provider” of Shropshire’s coronavirus vaccinations has changed, with a “smooth transfer” to the new health trust promised.

The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust held role until last month, delivering the jabs in the county.

Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust has now taken over and, in a report for its board, chief executive Patricia Davies says it “makes sense” that the programme will “sit within primary care and community services”, but adds that it will remain multi-organisation effort.

In a separate report, management accounts head Anthony Simms says the expected £500,000-a-month costs will be reimbursed from NHS England.

Shropcom’s trust board will discuss their reports when it meets on Thursday, October 7.

A spokesperson from Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin Covid-19 Vaccination Programme said that the move into “phase three” of the programme brought a focus on “community-based, small-scale vaccination sites rather than large vaccination centres”.

“The Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin Integrated Care System agreed that, with this shift in focus, the lead provider would change from SaTH to Shropcom, which would be better suited to continue the excellent service delivery that we have seen over the first two phases,” she said.

Angie Wallace, the ICS’s senior responsible officer for the programme, would remain in place, the spokesperson added.

Ms Davies writes that phase three has two “key components”. The first is the vaccination of 12- to 15-year-olds and the second is the delivery of “boosters” to over-50s, health and care workers and those in clinically at-risk groups. Both have begun in Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin, she adds.

“In essence, as we move into a more substantive model, it makes sense that the vaccination sits within primary care and community services,” Ms Davies writes.

“However, the way the programme is managed and delivered will remain as a system effort across all partners.”

She adds that vaccination, against both Covid-19 and influenza, is a “key plank” of the trust’s winter plan.

Mr Simms writes that the costs of the vaccination programme, including equipment and staff, are “fully reimbursed directly by NHS England / NHS Improvement” through quarterly payments based on returns submitted by the trust.

“Operational, HR, digital and finance teams are in the process of ensuring a smooth transfer of the service and the teams,” he adds.

“The cost of the current service is forecast to reduce to £500,000 per month by the end of 2021-22.

“However, this may change as the demand for further vaccinations changes.”