‘Play your part in history’ - army of Norfolk volunteers needed for Covid vaccine roll out
A researcher in a laboratory at the Jenner Institute in Oxford works on the coronavirus vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University. Pic: University of Oxford/John Cairns via AP. - Credit: AP
Thousands of extra staff and volunteers are being recruited across Norfolk and Waveney to create a huge team to deliver the eagerly-awaited Covid-19 vaccines.
Matthew Winn, chief executive of Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust, which is co-ordinating recruitment to Covid vaccine teams across Norfolk and Waveney, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. - Credit: Terry Whyman
Health chiefs are urging professionals and lay people to play their part in the “historic effort” as the nation fights back against the deadly pandemic.
The NHS in Norfolk and Waveney is looking to bolster its workforce for when the vaccines become available.
It is appealing for dentists, physios, pharmacists and paramedics to get trained up to deliver the jabs.
But they also hope people who are retired, furloughed or out of work will step up to volunteer to marshal people waiting to be given injections and to support and observe people afterwards.
A volunteer is administered the coronavirus vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University, in Oxford, England. Pic: University of Oxford/John Cairns via AP. - Credit: AP
The NHS said that, by recruiting extra people, it would be able to offer the potentially life-saving protection from coronavirus in a range of places, focusing on the most at-risk groups first.
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That will also help keep hospitals, GPs and community services going - at a time when the NHS is under extra winter pressure.
Matthew Winn, chief executive of the Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust, which is co-ordinating recruitment to Covid vaccine teams across Norfolk and Waveney, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, said: “When we get a safe and effective vaccine, we are determined to deliver it to eligible people across Cambridgeshire, Peterborough, Norfolk and Waveney as quickly as possible.
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“But it’s also crucial that we keep vital services running at the same time, so we need local people to join our vaccination teams, either as vaccinators or support staff, or as volunteers.
A researcher in a laboratory at the Jenner Institute in Oxford, England, works on the coronavirus vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University. Pic: University of Oxford/John Cairns via AP - Credit: AP
“Whether you are retired, furloughed or actively seeking a way back into work – we would love to hear from you.
“We’ll be offering posts on a flexible basis so that people can fit helping out around other work, caring and family responsibilities. So if you want to play your part in this historic effort, please find out more today; your NHS needs you.”
Posts they are looking to fill include clinical operational supervisors, registered practitioners, immunisers, front of house receptionists, post-vaccination observation support volunteers and ushering and patient flow volunteers, such as by marshaling car parks.
While the vaccine is unlikely to be widely available until January next year, some work could start next month.
Vaccinators and supporting staff and volunteers will potentially work across a range of different vaccine facilities, with local plans to be finalised when the details of approved vaccines are available and a decision on which groups should be the first to get it has been made by the government.
Three potential coronavirus vaccines to which the UK has secured access have reported they may be about 90pc effective.
The vaccine being developed by the University of Oxford is up to 90pc effective in preventing coronavirus, according to early data from phase three of the clinical trial.
Recent data from the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna vaccine trials suggests their candidates are 95pc and 94.5pc effective respectively.
Anyone interested in jobs or voluntary posts across Norfolk and Waveney should visit the NHS Jobs website or contact the HR Team via ccs.hrteam@nhs.net
