Jabs still available as vaccination centre temporarily pauses

Bournemouth’s large vaccination centre, run by NHS Trust Dorset HealthCare, will pause operations for four weeks from 21 June to allow a large event to take place.

As national COVID-19 restrictions gradually ease, venues like the Bournemouth International Centre (BIC) can once again run more of their usual events.

And as a result, the COVID-19 vaccination service being run in the venue’s Purbeck Hall and adjoining areas will temporarily pause, resuming on 19 July.

Although the event runs for three days, a longer closure of the vaccination centre is needed to give enough time for the safe packdown and set up by both the NHS and the event organisers.

Kate Harvey, Dorset HealthCare Service Director, said:

“We’ll continue to work closely with NHS England and all our partners to ensure that people can continue to have their vaccinations locally.

“Alternative sites are available on the National Booking System, including community pharmacies, with more coming on-stream soon. We are also looking into running pop-up clinics, particularly in areas where the vaccine uptake is lower.

“Many GPs also continue to offer vaccinations through their primary care networks so there are plenty of options.”

There is currently availability at the BIC through to Sunday 20 June – anyone eligible (currently everyone aged 21 and over) can book via the National Booking System or by calling 119.

Plans for the next phase of the vaccination programme are not yet finalised and the Dorset health and care system will work with national colleagues to continue vaccine delivery.

The vaccination service at the Bournemouth International Centre has been a huge success since it opened on 18 January, giving around 90,000 jabs at the centre – alongside the efforts of health and care partners this has contributed to almost one million doses being delivered across the county.

The feedback from visitors about their experience when they came to the centre is extremely positive – 98 per cent of people responding to a follow-up survey said their experience was good or very good.

And Dorset health and care organisations have also worked closely with ambassadors from different communities to encourage uptake, running dedicated clinics for some specific ethnic minority communities as well as outreach sessions to vaccinate homeless people.