Giving 12,000 Covid jabs smells like team spirit

Jane Berry said her role in the programme had helped her confidence

When 12,000 people book appointments for Covid jabs for the same month in the same area, what is the key ingredient to successfully rolling out the programme?

According to those delivering the care this October under the Kenilworth and Warwick Primary Care Network (PCN), it's teamwork.

And that well-oiled collective benefits from years of working together, bosses say.

“A lot of our staff have been with us since the emergency request for help went out at the start of the Covid programme four years ago,” said Nick Duggan from the PCN.

Many of the staff are made up of former NHS workers who came out of retirement to help with the vaccination effort.

Mr Duggan told BBC Midlands Today the workers were the most important part of the programme.

Among the staff is Allison Watmore, who explained: “The majority of us have worked together for quite a long time so we’ve developed quite a good team and have got a good team spirit.

“We all work together and support each other.”

Allison Watmore said many of the staff had worked together since 2020

Another worker, Jane Williams, said that when the vaccine first came out, she knew helping to deliver it was what she needed to do.

“I [also] think it’s [a] really good [way] to keep yourself active and make sure you keep yourself fit,” she added.

Jane Berry, whose main occupation is working as an airline cabin crew member, said her role at the vaccinations programme helped with her other job.

“I think when I get aboard an aircraft now, with the gained medical knowledge that I’ve got from doing this job, I feel so much more confident with every situation on board,” she explained.

People eligible for Covid boosters are adults over 65, residents in care homes for older adults, people deemed to be at higher risk due to existing health conditions, and frontline NHS workers or care home staff.