Working with NHS England and the local Primary Care Network, Central Health Partnership and Caritas worked extremely hard to deliver Pfizer and Oxford Astra-Zeneca vaccines at The Brasshouse Community Centre in Smethwick to patients in the local community between December 2020 and August 2021, together with all necessary ancillary activities (including without limitation storage of equipment and consumables required for the delivery of a COVID-19 vaccine).  Working together with Central Health Partnership and Caritas, staff worked tirelessly to vaccinate over 55,000 people to make the programme a huge success.  

The partnership went live in wave 1 & 2 of the historic covid-19 vaccination programme transforming a non-NHS site to an operational Live Vaccine site. The site was open for 9 months and delivered over 55,000 vaccine doses. It has been a privilege of many NHS careers, managing up to 60 incredible staff a day from a workforce of 200 dedicated colleagues and volunteers from Primary Care, Secondary Care, British Red Cross, West Midlands Fire Service, St Johns’ Ambulance and medical students.

Working collaboratively with community faith leaders, the partnership operationally set up the covid-19 vaccination roving team, a team of 8 passionate colleagues who stood up 4 pop-up sites. The team delivered almost 400 vaccines to the Black, Asian and Minority Ethic (BAME) vaccine hesitant and failed to reach cohorts.
The efforts of their work received national recognition in the National Public Health awards https://www.sandwell.gov.uk/news/article/6237/sandwell_has_won_a_national_public_health_award_for_its_covid_vaccination_programme

Vaccinations were also been offered to local practices, care homes, housebound, pop up sites (religious buildings) and members of the homeless community. We have achieved excellent uptake in one of the most deprived areas nationally and are extremely proud we have administered tens of thousands of Covid Vaccines to-date.

In addition, and thanks to funding from SCVO (Sandwell Council for Voluntary Organisations), staff from NSDT (Brasshouse Community Centre) supported directly by working with Public Health Sandwell and Masters Pharmacy to increase the take up of Covid vaccines in the community through pop up clinics and reducing vaccine waste as a result of patients not attending appointments.

We would like to extend our thanks to the Surgery staff, Clinical Health Practioner staff, Volunteers, Patients, Medical Students, West Midlands Fire Services, St Johns Ambulances and the Dudley Workforce Group. All of which have made the vaccination campaign possible and ensured we were able to provide the service, in a safe environment.

A Heartfelt Thank you!!