Hopes rise for Wells vaccination clinic

§  WCN marshals at the West Mendip Hospital vaccination clinic in January 2021 

Plans to open a vaccination clinic in Wells are close to fruition and only awaiting approval from the NHS nationally.

The venue would be St Thomas Church Hall on Bath Road. Volunteer marshals would be needed and WCN is ready to provide them.

In January I wrote as Mayor of Wells and spokesperson for WCN to NHS England & Improvement, which commissions such vaccination centres, saying: “There is a strong desire of Wells residents to have a vaccination clinic in the city. We frequently hear residents asking why we don’t have one here. It is of particular concern as we have a much older population than most places in Somerset. 

“Many of them, and the poorer people in the city which is not as affluent as many think, do not have their own transport and public transport is limited.

“Please can you tell me if there are plans for a vaccination centre in Wells? And, if not, why is that the case?”

They have replied saying: “We have identified a provider willing to provide the service in Wells and have been working with the provider to ensure we have the appropriate assurance that they can provide the service safely and the venue is also appropriate.

“The majority of this work has now been completed and the relevant national approval is now being sought. We hope to be able to confirm the outcome of this in the next week or so.” 

The NHS doctors’ practices in Wells don’t have the staff to run a vaccination centre in the city as they are doing 20 per cent more work now than before the pandemic.

West Mendip Hospital was used as a vaccination centre, with the marshalling done by WCN volunteers, but it had to be returned to its role as a hospital.