Covid jabs on wheels in Aylesbury Vale with vans set to deliver vaccinations across Bucks areas where uptake has been slowest

The Covid jab vans can deliver 240 vaccinations in a day.
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Mobile Covid vaccination vans will be rolled out in Buckinghamshire and beyond in areas where uptake has been slowest it has been confirmed.

The Integrated Care System (ICS) for Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West has two vans which will be used to bring vaccinations closer to the people in the neighbourhoods located furthest from mass centres.

The 'health on the move' vans will travel across the region in attempts to make sure all adults in the catchment have received at least one jab before July 18.

Health on the move vans operational in Aylesbury's NHS regionHealth on the move vans operational in Aylesbury's NHS region
Health on the move vans operational in Aylesbury's NHS region

Latest figures show that over 1.8M vaccinations have already been delivered in the NHS vaccination region.

Both vans will be driven seven days a week and will be operated by staff from the Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust.

The NHS lists several reasons why vaccination uptake has been slower in certain neighbourhoods. These include: rurality and geography, vaccine hesitancy and misinformation, isolation, underlying health conditions, access to transport and hours of work.

The routes the vans will be taking hasn't been revealed at this time. The three Buckinghamshire regions with the lowest average vaccination uptake, according to NHS data released last week was: Oakridge and Castlefield with 60.5%, plus Aylesbury Central and California and Southcourt, both with 61%.

The van project is designed to help people whose circumstances have made getting jabbed difficult, whilst promoting other health services during the campaign. The other health services set to be featured are: the winter flu campaign, smoking cessation advice and providing health checks in due course.

Dr James Kent, executive lead for Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West Integrated Care System, said: “This is an important initiative to build on the success of the COVID-19 vaccination programme and a great example of partnership and system working across health and local authority colleagues.”

Robert Majilton, deputy Chief Officer, at Buckinghamshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), added: "We know that the 'health on the move' vans are a great way to provide access to those who may have otherwise been left behind."