MP asks for clarity on vaccine rollout for health and social care staff in South Cumbria

Local MP Tim Farron has written to regional NHS bosses to ask for clarity on how the Pfizer vaccine will be administered to health and social care staff in South Cumbria.

It comes after it was announced that the initial locations for the vaccine hubs for the Lancashire and South Cumbria region would be based at the Blackpool Victoria Hospital and Royal Preston Hospital.

In his letter to the Chief Officer for Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care System, Dr Amanda Doyle, Tim said: "The news of the vaccine's arrival in the UK is massively welcome and I'm enormously grateful to everyone working in our NHS locally to administer the rollout of the vaccine so we can protect the most vulnerable and ultimately save lives.

"I read with great interest that the hospital hubs to administer the vaccine in our region will be in Preston and Blackpool and I would appreciate clarity on the following:

• Will the rollout be extended to Westmorland General Hospital and Furness General Hospital so health and social care workers in South Cumbria won't have to travel down to Central Lancashire to be administered the vaccine?
• Is there a time scale for when this rollout will occur?
• Will the vaccine just be available for NHS staff who work at those two hospitals?
• If so, will non-hospital NHS staff such as GPs and paramedics in South Cumbria have to travel to Preston and Blackpool for the vaccine?

"In our very rural area, accessibility is key. At a time when the work of our health and care workers has never been more crucial, working to ensure they don't have to make long journeys to access the vaccine is really important."