Agenda item

To consider the Board’s work programme for the remainder of the municipal year.

The Board discussed the forward programme for the remainder of the municipal year.

During the discussion of this item, the following points were made:

·       There were no changes made to the forward programme.

·       Dr Milligan and Katie Summers gave an update on the Covid vaccination programme.

·       Dr Milligan indicated that she had undertaken a site visit to one of the vaccination sites that morning, and that it was nearly ready to go.  She thanked Katie Summers and her team for their work to ensure that the relevant IT was in place.

·       Practices were contacting their patients who were over 80 for the vaccination.  Two doses were required 21 days apart.  Appointments for both doses were being booked.  She advised that the date of appointments was currently provisional until the vaccination was physically received at the practice.

·       It was hoped that the first wave of vaccinations would begin next week.  Staff from various practices would go to the vaccination centre to help vaccinate patients.

·       Dr Milligan would be undertaking site visits for vaccination sites in the other areas of the Borough.

·       There was strict national guidance and over 80’s who were physically able to get to a practice would be vaccinated first.  The public were asked not to phone the surgeries to ask when they would receive the vaccine as it would potentially overwhelm phonelines.  Patients would be contacted by the surgeries when appropriate.

·       As different vaccines came on board processes might change.

·       Katie Summers advised that there were three main delivery channels that would be utilised:

Ø  Primary care

Ø  Providers – Royal Berkshire Hospital and Berkshire Healthcare Foundation Trust would look to vaccinate their own staff.

Ø  Working with the local authorities to establish a small number of possible mass vaccination sites.

·       There were ten Primary care Network sites across Berkshire West, five of which were in the Borough.

·       Councillor Hare commented that the Pfizer vaccine was too volatile to be taken to care homes, so they were not appropriate vaccination sites at the moment.  Dr Milligan commented that if care home residents could travel to the vaccination site, they would still be able to receive the vaccination.  Carers would be vaccinated before healthcare workers.

·       It was noted that those having the vaccination would be expected to wait 15 minutes after they had received their vaccination, to ensure that they did not have an allergic reaction.  Each practice would deal with this differently.

·       In response to a question from Councillor Hare, Dr Milligan confirmed that those who had epi-pens should not be invited to have the vaccination.  Katie Summers commented that the prescribing team would send a list out to all of the practices to flag up which patients had epi-pens. 

·       Patients would receive a text advising them when they could make an appointment to visit a vaccination site.  It would be a long process.

·       Martin Sloan indicated that the local authority was working with the Clinical Directors to see whether volunteers could be provided to the vaccine sites.  Wokingham Volunteer Centre were looking to actively recruit volunteers to help marshal patients in and out of the buildings.  Councillor Halsall indicated that an extraordinary Executive had been scheduled to agree the funding for this exercise.

·       Katie Summers emphasised the importance of making every contact count.  Dr Milligan commented that physical contact needed to be reduced as large numbers of patients would be dealt with.  Martin Sloan indicated that there was a need to be practical about what could be achieved through the support with marshalling.

RESOLVED:  That the forward programme be noted.