Ulverston's vaccination centre, currently located within the sports hall at GSK is moving to nearby Gill Rise over the weekend of 23 and 24 October and will re-open on Monday 25 October.
The centre, which takes vaccination bookings by calling 119 or via the National Booking System website, is moving to a new home so that the sports hall can be returned for use by GSK. The company has provided the site at no charge to support the rollout of vaccinations in the town and surrounding areas.
The new site based within Gill Rise will sit in a building behind and separate from, Ulverston Health Centre. Access to the new site will be through the Health Centre car park. Members of the public who have booked their vaccination via the national portal will be invited to attend the vaccination site at Gill Rise. Patients registered with the Mid-Furness Primary Care Network will be invited to receive their vaccination within the surgery's premises, which are next door, as they were at the start of the vaccination programme. However, patients who are eligible for a vaccination or booster, can choose to book with either the 119 or national portal, or via their Primary Care Network. Signposting will be in place and members of the public attending for a vaccination, or booster shot, will be able to see which centre they are using on their appointment confirmation.
Dee Houghton, Deputy Chief Operating Officer, University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust, which has been staffing the vaccination centre, alongside volunteers said: "We'd like to extend our profound thanks to GSK for their incredible support of the vital vaccination roll-out programme. Thanks to them, we have been able to administer over 46.000 first or second doses of vaccinations quickly and safely.
"We will continue to offer the same great service at Gill Rise, which will be open for bookings from 8am on Monday 25 October and look forward to welcoming the community to this new facility.
"Members of the public should remember that the new site is not a 'walk-in' service and you must have an appointment before you attend. You should also make sure you are wearing a surgical mask for your appointment so that we can minimise the spread of infection. "
The Ulverston site has been supporting the vaccination programme across the South Lakes and wider communities. This is alongside the vaccination programme that has been run by primary care networks - groups of GPs working together. The two services will continue to run side by side.
Overall, across Morecambe Bay there have been almost 500,000 vaccinations administered by a combination of GP practices, volunteers, UHMBT staff, alongside specialist services delivered to supported accommodation and residential or nursing homes.