People in Aylesbury Vale urged to cancel Covid vaccine appointments they don't need

People in Aylesbury Vale are being urged to cancel any Covid vaccination appointments they don't need, to help free up slots for others who need their jab

The NHS is asking people in Aylesbury Vale to come forward to get their Covid-19 booster vaccinations as soon as they are invited by the NHS, to ensure as many people as possible are protected this winter.

And to make sure as many appointments as possible are available, the NHS is asking anyone who has booked a vaccination appointment but then cannot attend it for any reason, to make sure they cancel or change the booking.

In many cases, people are arranging appointments but then finding they can get one sooner at a walk-in vaccination site.

If you do this, the NHS asks that you make sure you cancel your booked appointment so that someone else can get their vaccine jab instead.

Dr Raj Bajwa, clinical chair of NHS Buckinghamshire Clinical Commissioning Group, said: “It is very easy, and understandable, that people take the first opportunity they can to get their booster dose, and that is great – the sooner eligible people have their jab, the better.

“But to make sure we can continue to offer as many appointments to people as possible, it is really important that any unwanted bookings are then cancelled, which is a quick and easy process.

"At the moment, many people are simply not showing up for their appointments.

"Not only does this waste the time of our vaccination teams, but, more importantly, it stops people who need a vaccination from booking appointment slots which are actually available.

"We would be very grateful if people could please help us with this.”

The NHS will contact you when you are eligible to arrange your vaccination and people are asked not to try to get one before then.

You can get your vaccine at:

a mass vaccination site (such as the Guttmann Centre at Stoke Mandeville) or a pharmacy site, via the National Booking Service where you can make, cancel or change an appointment at one of these sites;

a GP-led vaccination site – practices will contact their patients when the time is right;

a walk-in vaccination site, such as the mobile Health on the Move van. For details, see here.