Granta Medical Practices has started to deliver COVID-19 vaccinations to residents aged 80 and over today, as the roll-out of the biggest vaccination programme in NHS history gains further momentum.

The team at Granta Primary Care Network - made up of Barley Surgery, Market Hill Royston Surgery, Sawston Medical Practice, Linton Health Centre and Shelford Health Centre - has had to work quickly to put in place safe processes to meet the tough logistical challenges of offering the vaccination, including redesigning their Sawston site.

Katrina Snelling, nurse manager of Granta Medical Practices, said: “We are delighted to support the biggest and most highly anticipated national immunisation campaign in history by vaccinating and protecting our vulnerable local residents against COVID-19. We are ready to deliver the vaccinations to those most at risk from COVID-19.

“When you are invited to book an appointment, we would encourage you to take this opportunity up.

"However, please do not call us - we will contact you when it is your turn.

"When you attend your appointment, please remember that you must follow social distancing guidelines, bring and wear a facemask or visor, and follow hand hygiene guidance. These steps help to save lives.

“We would like to reassure our patients that Granta continues to be open and if you have any medical concerns you should contact us as usual.”

The latest phase of the vaccine roll-out is being co-ordinated by GP-led Primary Care Networks with more practices and community pharmacies in other parts of England joining on a phased basis. This comes following the first two hospital vaccination centres, which opened in Cambridge and Peterborough last month.

More information about all the sites now offering the COVID-19 vaccine in the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Clinical Commissioning Group - which includes the Royston area - is available at the website https://www.cambridgeshireandpeterboroughccg.nhs.uk/news-and-events/latest-news/covid-19-national-vaccination-programme.

For non-vaccine appointments at Granta, patient access continues to be by invitation only - following a prior telephone assessment- and only when the assessing clinician feels it is clinically necessary.