Derbyshire Dales MP praises efforts being made to give people the Covid-19 vaccine

Sarah Dines, MP for the Derbyshire Dales, said: “I would like to thank Dr Ben Milton and his team for their fantastic work vaccinating throughout Derbyshire Dales.

"After finishing the available over 80s, care home residents and care home carers, they have been vaccinating housebound patients in their own homes and also frontline staff at Newholme.

"Some of the team have even been working at the weekend to vaccinate more elderly housebound residents who are not able to travel. A considerable portion of our over 75s have also had their vaccinations.

"We are certainly at the front of the national programme. I cannot overstate how proud I am of this effort which goes above and beyond what we could expect.

“There is a big programme of vaccination planned and some GP surgeries will be able to vaccinate in the surgery, which is very convenient. We have our own Oxford vaccine as well as the Pfizer vaccination available.

“I would like to thank the team and the volunteers for this sterling effort. I wish them good quality rest before it all starts again this week.

“I have had many elderly constituents and their relatives contacting me saying how well organised the programme is and how relieved they have been to be able to have participated. I have passed these thanks on to the ministerial team. It’s great to have good news at this time.”

Ben Milton, clinical director for Derbyshire Dales Primary Care Network, said: “Staff at two Covid-19 vaccination sites in the Derbyshire Dales have been working tirelessly to vaccinate the highest priority people, including residents of care homes and people who are housebound.

“As a result, nearly all care home residents and housebound patients have now been offered a vaccination, which will help make reduce the chance of those people contracting this virus and offer them the hope of returning to normal life soon.

“Teams working at Newholme Hospital in Bakewell have been working hard to vaccinate frontline healthcare workers, and this has progressed well.

"We’re very pleased with the feedback from patients, who have been overwhelmingly positive about being offered the vaccine.”

Penny Blackwell, clinical lead for the South Dales, said: “A major effort to recruit volunteers has paid off in the southern part of Derbyshire Dales, which will help to reduce the pressure on hard-working staff from GP practices and Derbyshire Community Health Services NHS Foundation Trust.

Volunteer drivers helped us deal with snow last week, enabling us to get patients to St Oswald’s hospital in Asbourne.

The team at St Oswald’s have been maintaining lists of reserve patients to be called at a moment's notice for a vaccine, and these people have responded brilliantly to attend appointments at short notice when we have vaccine remaining.”

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