An Arnold councillor is calling on NHS bosses to quickly address an issue with a new Covid-19 vaccine booking system that forces those seeking a jab in the borough to make appointments as far away as Lincoln and Sheffield.
Cllr Henry Wheeler, who is Gedling Borough Councillor for Coppice Ward, said residents had been in contact to alert him to the problem, with nothing available locally.
Last week bookings for vaccine jabs were moved over to a new national NHS booking system, replacing Swiftqueue – an online platform that had managed bookings across Nottinghamshire.
The Swiftqueue system had allowed those living within the borough to make an appointment for a vaccination at the local Richard Herrod Vaccination Centre in Carlton.
Gedling Eye attempted to book an appointment in the Gedling area on the system this morning and the nearest vaccination centre on offer was Ashfield Health Village, which is 12 miles away in Kirkby-in-Ashfield.
All other locations available were in Derby, Leicester city centre, Sheffield and Lincoln.
Councillor Wheeler told Gedling Eye: “The Covid 19 vaccination appointment system in Nottinghamshire moved to the NHS National Covid-19 booking system. However, local residents have said they have tried to book appointments locally but none are available in Gedling or in the City.
“This needs resolving as soon as possible. As people will be rightly anxious about not getting an appointment.”
“I would like answers as to why this has happened and an answer to when the issues of booking locally will be resolved.”
“It’s disappointing that people eagerly awaiting an appointment can’t get an appointment locally at present. I’m hoping this will be resolved as soon as possible.”
Gedling Eye has contacted Nottinghamshire NHS for a comment.
it was bad enough people being pushed to forest recreation ground facility never mind shutting us out of gbc altogether,another fine mess the mp tom randall has dropped the people of the borough in ,ashfield and mansfield looked after again ask the county councillors.
This is nothing new, I tried to book my husband and I’s appointments when we became eligible in Feb thru NHS system and was only offered Sheffield. I then did it thru Swiftqueue and got appointments at Forest recreation site and they were 2 weeks earlier than NHS! My Husband also took his Mother for her 2nd jab in March to Richard Herrod centre and said staff were sitting around as they had loads of appointments available. Swiftqueue were doing a much better job, so why change it ???
Swiftqueue were doing a very good job – much better than the NHS – so why take it away?