Phase 1
CHAW PCN is making good progress completing Phase One of the national vaccination program. Over 20,000 doses of vaccinations have now been delivered by GP practices in Chelford, Handforth, Alderley Edge and Wilmslow, with staff working late and on bank holidays and even during their annual leave to deliver this commitment.
Phase 2
We would advise all patients eligible for their vaccination under Phase Two to call 119 or visit this link to arrange you vaccination appointment.
The second phase of the vaccination programme will be offered by mass vaccination centres (NOT GP SURGERIES IN CHAW PCN) to those under 50 years old in the following order:
- 40 to 49 years
- 30 to 39 years
- 18 years and over
As most GP surgeries in Cheshire are concentrating on delivering second doses to patients in the clinical priority groups, it is more important than ever that patients under the age of 50, who aren’t in the clinical priority groups, don’t delay making their appointments at local mass vaccination centres to make use of the valuable extra capacity such centres provide. Click here to book if eligible.
Frequently Asked Questions
- I am waiting for my second dose of covid vaccine. Why haven’t I yet been called by my GP surgery?
Covid vaccination supplies are received by GP surgeries without much notice at all from NHS England. It is not uncommon for GP surgeries to receive as little as two days notice of a delivery. As soon as GP practices receive the supply of vaccine, they send out invitations to patients to come and receive their second jabs. The nature of the vaccine deliveries sometimes mean that patients receive their invitations after 11 weeks of their first dose of covid vaccination. Despite GP surgeries up and down the country repeatedly asking NHS England to allow more notice of vaccine deliveries, this had not been forthcoming. - Will I get my second vaccination within twelve weeks of my first dose?
This all depends on the delivery of vaccines from NHS England who assure us that they will deliver vaccines in time for second doses to be administered on time. Supplies of vaccines remain good and we will endeavour to get these vaccines into patients’ arms just as soon as we receive them. Staff have already cancelled annual leave (with some not having any leave since October 2021) in order to deliver this commitment; the only limiting factor is the supply of vaccine. - I don’t want an Astra Zeneca vaccine. Can I choose to have a Pfizer or Moderna vaccine instead?
GP surgeries in CHAW have been administering both Pfizer and Astra Zeneca vaccines since January 2021. We have now completed the first doses for patients in the higher priority groups and are focussing on administering second doses to this group. As such, any Pfizer vaccine supplies we receive are currently reserved as second doses for this group of patients and cannot yet be used for other patients. In addition, even if we had spare Pfizer vaccines, we would not be able to guarantee a second dose of it in the future. The instructions GP surgeries have received on encountering such requests has been to refer patients to the 119 service.
GP surgeries can’t determine what type of vaccinations are allocated to them by NHS England. Quite simply, they get what they are given and do their best in administering them to patients as quickly as possible. - It has recently come to light that I have a clinical condition that necessitates a Pfizer or Moderna jab rather than a Astra Zeneca jab. Can you administer a Pfizer/Moderna vaccination for me?
For reasons outlined in answering question 3, above, we do not have any supplies of Pfizer/Moderna vaccines to administer any further first doses of covid vaccines. GP surgeries have been instructed to refer such patients to dial 119. We understand that some patients have experienced unhelpful encounters when doing so and we continue to press higher authorities for suitable solutions for such patients. GP surgeries, however, simply don’t have the flexibility of supplies to offer such patients another type of vaccine. - I don’t want to travel far to get my Covid jab and the Covid National Booking Service (119) has directed me to a mass vaccination centre miles away. Can I have the jab at my local practice?
GP surgeries have no control over the national booking service and cannot arrange such jabs closer to home. As GP practices in CHAW are concentrating on delivering the second doses of Phase 1 of the program, they are not receiving supplies of vaccine to administer any 1st doses for patients due a vaccine under Phase 2 of the program. We would urge all patients to take up the offer of a vaccination at the locations offered by the national booking service as soon as they receive them. - Where can I get more information about who is currently eligible for Covid vaccines?
This website contains all the latest government guidance relating to the Covid Vaccination Programme.
