Team work, dancing and biscuits: How Sunderland's health workers pulled together to deliver thousands of vaccine so quickly

While controversy continues after doses were diverted from the North East to areas where fewer patients have been covered, work on the ground continues to cover the first four priority groups across Wearside.

Teams in Sunderland have delivered huge volumes of the vaccine, at rates up to 1,250 per day at clinics across the city, according to the Clinical Vice-Chair of Sunderland CCG.

GP’s have expressed frustration at supply struggles over the past two weeks as they work at an incredible pace.

There are six sites in Sunderland, Millfield, Riverview Health Centre, Bunnyhill Primary Care Centre, Houghton Primary Care Centre, Washington Primary Care Centre, and Grindon Lane Primary Care Centre which the Echo visited on Friday.

Across the region and Cumbria, 114,117 over 80s have had their first dose so far, while 19,784 have had their second, while 129,873 under 80s have had their initial vaccine, with 7,672 given a follow up booster.

Millfield Surgery GP Jacqueline Gillespie is clinical director of the West 1 Primary Care Network and was overseeing the work at Grindon on Friday January 22.

She explained that staff working across Primary Care Centres are pooled to staff the hubs.

“It’s going brilliantly, we’re all delighted to do it,” she said.

"The patients are all thrilled as well as excited to finally get their vaccine and we’ve had lots of positive feedback from patients saying how smoothly and efficient it’s been, as well as cards, biscuits and flowers.”

She said patients may now get text message invites to arrange appointments.

Sunderland Clinical Commissioning Group also runs a call centre to make arrangements, and anyone who is asked to attend the Centre for Life’s mass vaccination site is told they can stay local if they prefer.

The hub’s day is split into shifts, from 8am to 2pm and then up to 8pm as staff from across the city join in the effort.

Among them is Lousie Frelford, a practice nurse at the Happy House surgery, who says the team has a special way to put worried patients at ease – they do a dance.

She said: "It’s been amazing to be able to meet others here and for us, when coronavirus first happened, it hit the hospital staff really hard and I think everyone in GP surgeries felt we couldn’t help because we don’t work in that sphere.

"But now we have the vaccine, we’ve all pulled together and feel this is our job to do and we’ve all volunteered to come in on our days off or at the weekend.”

Among the patients during our visit was great-grandmother Linda Savage, from High Barnes, who was marking her 73rd birthday, following her husband Brian, 76, who had his jab last week.

Linda, who helped run BLS Steels with Brian before their retirement, said: “It’s the best birthday present.

"It was absolutely fantastic, I didn’t feel a thing.”

Ex-miner Tommy Watson, 72, from Broadway Grange, also got his jab, as did his wife Carol, 72, and said: “I was over the moon when I got my text message.

"It was easy and I’ve been waiting for it – it’s a step towards normality.”

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