New hub to make vaccines 'as easy as possible'

The new hub has opened at Bury Park Community Centre in Luton

A new NHS health hub has opened to offer children and adults a more convenient location to receive vaccines.

The Bury Park Health Hub in Luton will start offering winter illness vaccinations from Wednesday, 1 October, to anyone who is eligible.

Children will be able to access the health hub all year round for routine immunisations such as MMR, polio, HPV, tetanus and diphtheria.

The NHS said: "We want to make it as easy as possible for people to get their vaccines and protect themselves and their loved ones against serious illness."

Caroline Shepherd, assistant director for the Community and School Aged Immunisation Service (CSAIS) in the East of England, added: "We know, through research, that residents in Bury Park wanted a more convenient location to offer vaccines.

"We're hoping our new health hub will be a handy, one-stop shop for people living in the area and the wider community, who at the moment have to travel into town or to their GP for their vaccinations."

Children can also be vaccinated at the centre against diseases such as polio and measles

CSAIS has designed the facility with Luton Borough Council, NHS England and the Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board.

The hub, based at Bury Park Community Centre on Dunstable Road, will provide jabs against infectious diseases for "eligible people of all ages".

At this time of year, the focus is on serious winter illnesses such as flu, Covid and respiratory syncytial virus.

Ms Shepherd added: "If you or someone in the family has missed a vaccine, please stop by and we can help."

Abdul Ghafoor of Luton Muslim Health Alliance said: "Prevention works best on your doorstep.

"By bringing NHS free vaccines to the community, this hub makes early action easy so families stay well, not just get well."