In light of the recent ‘booster-plan’ announcement, we wanted to take a look back at the amazing achievements and the dedication that our partners have shown since the vaccine rollout began.
After months of ‘true collaboration in action’, Hope University’s vaccination center has closed its doors after delivering an incredible 83,000 doses to the communities of South Liverpool.
The vaccination center came as a ‘teamed-up approach’ as Primary Care Networks (PCNs), Childwall and Wavertree Network (CWN), SWAGGA and Picton PCN joined forces in March 2021 to mobilise a smooth vaccination programme to face the increased demands of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout.
To support with the strategy and communications of the programme the PCNs approached Liverpool-based public service design agency, Capacity, to help make things as safe, efficient and straight-forward as possible. With the added boost of the Capacity management team, the three PCNs were able to secure a fixed space on Hope University’s grounds, allowing the center to vaccinate over 1,200 people a day.
Since March, the centre has worked with over 200 volunteers, 192 student vaccinators and 100s more medical staff delivering more than 17,500 hours of support.
The university grounds have since reopened to students returning to study in Autumn/Winter 2021. Over coming months the Childwall and Wavertree Primary Care network will continue to work closely with the university – ensuring all Hope students have been or have the opportunity to be vaccinated through their network, as well as continuing to support through their accelerated booster programme.
Professor Gerald Pillay, Vice-Chancellor and Rector of Liverpool Hope University, said: “Liverpool Hope University has a 175-year history of commitment to both education and to the local community. And as part of this key mission, we relished the opportunity to partner with Capacity Lab and the local Primary Care Networks (PCNs) to provide a vaccination facility here at our Hope Park campus in south Liverpool.
“Since the very beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Hope community of staff and students has worked together in response to the pandemic, raising funds, equipment and much needed resources for those delivering frontline services. In October 2020 the University was able to host its first Covid-19 testing centre, as part of the initial Government pilot scheme, to service both the Hope and local community.
“Meanwhile the vaccination centre, located in our Hope Park Sports facility, has been providing a much-needed service to a vast number of patients since it was first established in March of this year. We’re proud to have been able to play a role in the national Covid-19 vaccination programme and we’ll continue to work to combat the pandemic in any way we can.”Dr Jamie Hampson, Clinical Director of Swagga commented: “Being involved in the Covid pandemic response by helping to set up and run a mass vaccination centre at Hope University has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career. Collaborative efforts from healthcare professionals, Capacity, Hope University staff and the general public created a resource that has vaccinated so many and is likely to have saved many lives both directly and indirectly. We should all be justifiably proud of the part we played in this real achievement at a time of crisis.”
Emma Lord, Health Director at Capacity added: “The pace and brilliance of people has been astounding. The team at Hope University have shown incredible generosity with their space, supporting the PCNs to manage huge numbers of the public on their campus.
Local volunteers and medical students have been recruited and trained at an incredible speed, filling shift after shift enabling us to vaccinate thousands of people. The medical teams and leaders have worked tirelessly to ensure the site has run like a well-oiled machine – it’s been the best team-building exercise we could have wished for and demonstrates the power of the amazing people we work with.”