‘It’s been a colossal effort’: Booster programme steps-up

The Covid vaccination centre at Poole Ferry Port opened an additional 2,200 Covid jab appointments this weekend in a ‘colossal effort’ to offer all adults a booster by the end of the year.

Operated by six GP surgeries from the central Poole area, the ferry port clinic has seen volunteers, vaccinators and staff members step-up at a time when others professions may be stepping down to spend time with family.

'It's a pretty well-oiled machine'

Andy Mintram, business manager at the Adam Practice, said: “We’ve had fantastic cooperation from the port and from the ferry companies to use their facilities. And we have a fantastic team of vaccinators, volunteers and staff so it’s a pretty well-oiled machine. 

READ MORE: Covid: Dorset GPs step-up booster programme

READ MORE: Covid booster jabs at Poole Ferry Port this weekend

Inside the ferry port clinic

“Obviously this past couple of weeks we’ve had to try and increase capacity and so far that’s going well as well. 

“First and foremost we had to make sure we can get the stock in and then we needed to ensure that we had the additional staff to offer those vaccines.

“Undoubtedly people are feeling the strain and looking forward to time off but people also recognise it’s for the greater good.”

A large number of staff at the ferry port clinic have returned to the frontline from retirement, including GP lead and vaccinator Mark Nelms. He said: “We’ve ramped the whole operation up big-time now to try and accommodate the booster programme. 

“It’s amazing what happens when you need to step up and get those boosters done. 

“It’s been a colossal effort from Andy and the administrative team to try and coordinate all of the vaccinators together to expand the number of shifts that we’re doing.

Dr Mark Nelms

'There's an amazing camaraderie'

The ramping up operation has seen the clinic increase working times from two to three days-a-week to six or seven 12-hour days-a-week.

Dr Nelms said: “There’s an amazing camaraderie, even before the ramping up operation. 

“People really enjoy working down here, it’s a good atmosphere and people are very appreciative when they come to the vaccine clinic - they’ve been waiting to have it done and as a general rule I think they get a really good service down here with the way it works and the flow of everything.”

Mr Mintram added:

“We are so so grateful to everybody who is supporting the vaccine centre and helping us to deliver it - we couldn’t do it without them.”