19 Jan 21

We are pleased to confirm Covid Vaccinations are starting this week at our vaccination centre at Etchingham Village Hall, Parsonage Croft, Etchingham TN19 7BY

This GP led service will offer vaccine appointments to our registered patients in line with the national priority groups, starting with those who are over the age of 80.

We will contact you to book an appointment when it is your turn!

Please wait to be contacted and do not call our reception team they are very busy running our usual surgeries and organising the Covid vaccination clinics.

This GP Led service cover all registered patients at:

Fairfield Surgery, Ferry Road Health Centre, Martins Oak Surgery, Northiam and Broad Oak Surgery, Oldwood Surgery, Rye Medical Centre, and Sedlescombe and Westfield Surgeries

Our practice teams have been identifying their patients who are eligible at this stage and appointments will be booked in over the coming days.

We recognise that at the current time, with one site at Etchingham, some people will have to travel further than others to get their vaccination depending on where they live in the local area. We would like reassure everyone that there are discussions about further locations in the area and how the vaccination can be offered from GP practices. This is a fast moving programme and over the coming weeks, there may be the option to provide the vaccine from more sites across our communities.

The location of the GP-led vaccination service does not affect the speed by which people living in the Rural Rother area will receive their vaccination. The timing for when people will be able to get their vaccination depends largely on the availability of the vaccine and the priority group they are in.

If anyone is concerned about how they will travel to get a vaccine during lockdown, it should be noted that, under the national guidance, it is permissible to receive a lift from someone or there are community transport providers offering this support in terms of transport for medical appointments.

You can find information about community and non-emergency transport on the East Sussex County Council website, or call the community hub on 01273 099956.

People are asked not to contact your GP practice but to wait until you are contacted. You will be contacted as soon as an appointment is available for you.

We are also asking people not to turn up early for their appointments. Arriving on time will help us manage the number of people at the venue and help keep our patients and staff safe.

Our teams are also vaccinating at care homes across our local area. Many care homes have been visited and we expect to have completed all our homes by the end of the month.

The Covid-19 vaccination programme is the biggest immunisation programme ever undertaken by the NHS.  As we roll out vaccines, we’d like to remind people of 3 things:

1. The NHS will contact you when it’s your turn, so please do not contact us beforehand.
2. Please act on your invite when it comes.
3. Remember Hands, Face, Space. It will save lives and help the NHS

Key messages for patients

• The vaccine will be given in order of priority to those at highest risk first.
• We will be in contact with you with information about where and when you will need to receive the vaccine.
• Please act on your invite when it comes, and make sure you attend your appointments when you arrange them.
• Please continue to abide by all the social distancing and hand hygiene guidance, which will still save lives.
• PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT THE SURGERY – WE WILL CONTACT YOU!