Chesterfield and Staveley MP Toby Perkins was delighted to be invited to go along and witness the arrangements as the vaccination centre at Inkersall Green surgery got underway this Friday.

Toby explained: “ I’ve been concerned that I have had to put a lot of pressure on to ensure that vaccinations in Chesterfield matched those across the county, and I was particularly concerned that there Staveley over 80s were having to travel out to Dronfield to get their vaccines. Whilst everyone seemed to recognise that Staveley needed a centre locally, it has been a big job to get approval for the PCN to re-direct vaccines to Inkersall and I am thrilled that 700 people have been vaccinated on the first day of opening, the staff here are amazing, as they are in every site I have visited.”

Dr Peter Scriven added his thanks to the MP for his determined campaigning saying : “On a personal note, I’d like to thank Toby for his persistent advocating of the need for a site in Staveley, this wouldn’t have happened without his work. This is so important for many people in Staveley”.

The centre in Inkersall is only able to deliver vaccines supplied to the Winding Wheel centre approved by NHS England and transferred to another Primary care network (PCN) site. Due to strict regulations, only Astra Zeneca vaccines can be transferred and only to PCN sites.

Dr Scriven said: “We are pleased to have had an opportunity to be part of the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination programme that primary care networks across the country are supporting within their local communities. Our Royal Primary care team did an incredible job to make this happen in just three days’ notice. As a result, at our Inkersall surgery today, we have vaccinated an amazing 700 Staveley and Brimington people, predominantly from the over 80 cohort who are so vulnerable.

This is good news for some of our most vulnerable patients and we look forward to delivering more vaccinations as the programme continues to expand and develop.”

Royal Primary Care Managing Director Jo Lacey added;” This has been so great for morale for our wonderful staff who are so keen to play their part in protecting Staveley, I’m so proud of our team who have worked so hard and the response from local people has been overwhelmingly positive.”