The confusion in messaging over Covid booster vaccinations on the Isle of Wight has been branded a ‘train crash’.
As reported by News OnTheWight last week, many Islanders have had difficulties securing a slot for their booster jab. The CCG claimed there was no shortage of booster jabs, but have now apologised for the confusion and admitted they needed to do better.
Mosdell: Third dose rollout a train crash
Expressing a shared frustration of many Islanders, Cllr Clare Mosdell (Con), the Isle of Wight Council’s former health and social care cabinet member said people had lost faith with the vaccine rollout programme.
Speaking at last night’s (Monday) health and social care scrutiny committee meeting, Cllr Mosdell congratulated health partners on the first part of the vaccine rollout, but called the most recent third dose rollout a train crash.
Mosdell: There has been complete confusion
When trying to book a booster for her husband, Cllr Mosdell said it took three weeks and checking the national booking system at all hours of the day for a slot at the Riverside Centre to become available.
She said,
“We need some assurance … there has been complete confusion. It is going to take a huge amount of communication for faith to be restored with people getting their vaccination.”
Smith: Need to do better
Managing director of the NHS Hampshire, Southampton and Isle of Wight Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), Alison Smith, apologised for the confusion and admitted they needed to do better.
Ms Smith did say, however, there were staffing challenges on the Island, but a roving mobile vaccination service would be available over the coming weekend.
Nisbet: More complicated than beginning of the programme
Dr Matt Nisbet, the clinical lead for the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Covid vaccination programme, also apologised for any ‘poor experiences’ residents had had.
He said one of the difficulties with the booster rollout was it is more complicated than the beginning of the programme, when things were set up to be more simple.
Nisbet: Extra capacity in place
It was ‘more complex’, he said, with different vaccines for different people and varying wait times between doses.
Extra capacity was already in place, Dr Nisbet said, for booster vaccines for those over 40 before Christmas, but following the announcement yesterday afternoon that everyone over 18 would be offered a booster, work has started to fit more in.
Call for ‘clear, realistic, consistent and relevant’ information
A motion was unanimously approved by the scrutiny committee, as a result of the ongoing accessibility concerns, to urgently call on the CCG to provide ‘clear, realistic, consistent and relevant’ information about jabs and how to book them and asked that Healthwatch Isle of Wight be consulted.
