Larkside Practice, as part of the Eden Network, is now in the process of providing coronavirus vaccinations to our most vulnerable patients. We have successfully offered 2 vaccination doses to all of our patients aged 80+ and have received fantastic feedback about the service provided at Bushmead Medical Centre. Thank you to our patients & staff alike for helping to make this service so successful.
We are now proceeding with vaccinations for all patients aged 70+, as well as those below the age of 70 who are in the NHS England Shielding category or who are housebound. These are vaccinations groups 1-4. We are on course to invite and provide first vaccinations for all patients in these groups by the end of January, two months ahead of the UK Government schedule and the first network in Luton to do so. We are proud to have continued providing all permitted clinical services to full capacity at Larkside Practice throughout the pandemic. We have also supported a number of essential community health services which are running from our site.
Whilst this is of course a huge positive, there will be challenges as well. We often receive only 1 or 2 days notice for vaccine deliveries, leaving us a very short window to book patients in and staff the clinics. As a result, on occasional days where we are required to send mass invites to patients, our phone lines are likely to be incredibly busy. Please bear with us, as without extra funding or resources, our reception team are working tirelessly to deal with 3 times their normal workload. Other staff are supporting these calls wherever possible, but of course important patient care must still be provided in other areas too.
Larkside Practice understands the frustration that can be caused on these days and appreciate it can be difficult for patients to contact the surgery. However, please bear with our practice staff and be as patient as possible. Many of our staff are working relentlessly throughout the week, evenings and weekends to help provide a little bit of normality to all of our lives as soon as possible.
Thank you for your patience and understanding.
Dr Kunzemann, Dr Hussain & Dr Maroju