Agenda item

For the Board to consider a joint report of the H&F Clinical Commissioning

Group and the council which provides an update on local flu vaccination plans.

7.1           Councillor Coleman introduced this item and explained that it would also encompass Covid vaccination, jointly presented by Linda Jackson and Sue Roostan.

7.2           Sue Roostan reported that this was a joint piece of work across the ICP, CCG and local authority.  Notification of the delivery schedule for the booster programme had been issued and some people had already received text messages, if they were aged 50+ and had immunosuppressed conditions.  There were four sites available across the borough: Brook Green Surgery, White Cite Community Centre, West Kensington Tenant’s Association Hall and Hammersmith Surgery nominated as the Primary Care Network (PCN) sites. Brook Green and White City would go live shortly. 

The local authority and CCG had been campaigning for additional pharmacy sites within the borough which would increase to 11 and so offered an additional 7 sites.  The booster programme had commenced in care homes and work was ongoing with CLCH to deliver the vaccine to housebound residents.  

7.3           Commenting on the vaccine delivery programme to schools for 12-15 year olds, Sue Roostan reported that national protocols and guidance would be issued that week.  It was important to issue a clear, local message that people would not invited to book their booster jabs until 6 moths had elapsed from a second vaccine dose.   There had been significant work undertaken to encourage and support vaccine take up with a range of hyperlocal initiatives including a vaccine bus on sites such as Charing Cross hospital and the Claybrook mental health facility.  Vaccine uptake for mental health patients had increased although actual numbers were low.  Helen Mangan added that vaccine bus had been situated at the site for 5-6 weeks, capturing 12% of the unvaccinated population.  There was a long list of patients with a range of issues that meant that an integrated approach was preferable to support vulnerable residents in gaining the confidence to be vaccinated.

7.4           Sue Roostan explained that NWL were recruiting teams of mobile vaccinators as the mass vaccination hubs were being decommissioned and it was confirmed that the intention was to have 100 full time vaccinators for pop ups.  The issue of vaccinating those that were house bound was raised, which was distinct from making vaccines locally accessible through pop ups and similar initiatives. Councillor Coleman responded that the borough’s needs were not being met and sought clarification about what more could be done to address the low rates of vaccine take up that was historic within the borough. Sue Roostan stated that it was not possible to deliver vaccines at home due to other operational priorities. They had successfully lobbied for additional pharmacies which would soon be operational. 

7.5           Merril Hammer expressed concern that H&F, an inner London borough with one of the lowest take up rates nationally, was not receiving greater support. The implications of this had been raised with the board of Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust. The view of the Trust was to adopt a hyperlocal, street by street approach and speak directly to people who had refused the vaccine. Linda Jackson outlined the H&F approach, which was precisely this, to have local conversations with communities however there was a fundamental lack of trust which extended beyond fear of vaccination. There was a commitment to continue to build upon the work already begun to engage and build trust with cohorts that did not want to be vaccinated.

RESOLVED

That the verbal update was noted.