Covid-19: Suffolk 'ramps up' vaccine roll-out after trailing behind

Lisa Nobes, chief nurse at Suffolk and north-east Essex Integrated Care System (ICS), said improvements were being made

A chief nurse said Suffolk was "ramping up" its efforts to inoculate the over 80s after figures showed the county trailed behind the rest of the country.

Latest figures showed the vaccination rate for people aged over 80 in the county, along with north-east Essex, was 36%, compared to 70% elsewhere.

Lisa Nobes, chief nurse at Suffolk and north-east Essex Integrated Care System (ICS), said action was being taken.

She pledged all people over 80 would be offered the vaccine by 31 January.

According to the latest published figures, 22,265 people over 80 in Suffolk and north-east Essex have had their first jab, and 4,790 of those have had their second dose.

That represented just over a third of the over 80s in the area, and put it at the bottom of the table nationally.

Meanwhile, more than 31,000 aged under 80 had received the jab, the figures up to 17 January showed.

Suffolk was bottom of the table nationally for vaccinating the over 80s

Ms Nobes said the system was "not perfect and we are trying to fix it as we go".

She said they had now inoculated 50% of the over 80s and had vaccinated people living and working at 98 of the county's 125 care homes - and were on target to reach them all by Sunday.

"I'm desperate to reassure people that we are just off the starting blocks," she said.

"We are a bit behind because we wanted people to have centres close to them. We set up 22, it's taken us some time, but we are absolutely ramping it up."

'The worry is making my father ill'

Ann Fiddy says her 90-year-old father has still not received any communication about his Covid vaccination.

He lives in sheltered accommodation in Ipswich with his wife of 66 years, who is 89.

Ms Fiddy said: "Mum has had her vaccine because their Ipswich surgery had a mobile contact number for her.

"My father does not have a mobile, and unfortunately we did not think to give the surgery her number for him.

"Dad has to wait for a letter and the worry is making him ill and he is not sleeping.

"He is registered blind, hard of hearing and uses a wheelchair. He is worrying that he will never have the vaccine."

Ms Nobes said communication with patients had also been improved.

"We are listening to people, we know that some people are having real problems but we are moving now to a phone model for all sites," she said.

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The ICS is only responsible for part of the vaccine roll-out.

The Suffolk GP Federation is responsible for organising the vaccination of patients from 28 GP practices who are able to travel to one of five vaccination centres it has set up in Suffolk.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock, who is also the MP for West Suffolk, said the supply of vaccine was the "rate-limiting factor for the roll-out".

He told MPs: "Ultimately this is a UK programme delivered by the devolved nations by the NHS, being done brilliantly by the NHS.

"The effort is one of massive teamworking to try to get this out as much as possible, as fast as possible."