More residents in High Wycombe are set to be vaccinated against Covid-19 as the Bucks rollout continues.

GP-led vaccination centres are set to open in High Wycombe town centre and Aylesbury this week, in addition to the five sites which are already up and running around the county, to deliver vaccines to patients aged 80 and over.

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Another centre is being planned for the south of the county, with Bucks Council saying by the end of this month all patients over the age of 80 should receive an invitation for a vaccination appointment.

A number of pharmacy vaccination sites will also be launched in the county, with sites in Marlow and Wycombe due to open and start vaccinating people next week.

Additional sites in other areas of the county are due to open very soon too, with two more mass vaccination centres in the process of being set up, the council has confirmed.

It comes after elderly people across the county were sent letters to travel to mass vaccination sites as far away as Bristol, going directly against government advice to stay local.

The council has said mass vaccination sites closest to Bucks are the Epsom racecourse in Surrey, Excel Centre in London and Robertson House in Stevenage - but if residents do not want to travel it will not affect their ability to get an appointment at a local site through their GP.

So far, more than 12,000 vaccinations have been given to patients across the county, including nearly 2,000 delivered to health and social care staff at a ‘hospital hub’ managed by Bucks Healthcare Trust.

Residents are being asked to not contact their GP surgery to arrange an appointment, with the council saying the NHS will contact patients when it is time for their appointment to be arranged.

As well as people aged 80 and over, care home residents and staff, along with health and social care workers are being prioritised in this first phase of the national vaccination rollout, with the government saying the top four priority groups in will be vaccinated by mid-February.

Martin Tett, leader of Buckinghamshire Council, said: “These are extremely difficult times for all of us, but it is important to remember that the pace of the vaccination programme is increasing in Buckinghamshire and we are pushing hard to make sure things move faster going forward.

“We hope that residents can be reassured that there is a way out of this pandemic, and that their area will soon be covered by a vaccination centre if it is not already.

“More age groups and vulnerable patients will be offered the vaccination over the coming weeks and months, in line with the national priorities of the phased rollout.

“We would ask that residents please be patient and not call their GP practice to arrange a vaccination appointment.

“The NHS will instead contact you when the time is right.

“I appreciate this has been a frustrating time and we are all eager to see those most in need get their vaccinations as soon as possible, but your patience and support is greatly appreciated.

“In the meantime, I would ask everyone to please continue to follow the ‘Stay at Home’ rules to the letter to help keep yourself and your loved ones safe, and to protect the NHS.”

The sites that are already up and running:

Chalfont Local Vaccination Site

This site will administer the vaccine to eligible patients registered at:

  • Iver Medical Centre
  • Threeways Surgery
  • Burnham Health Centre
  • Southmead Surgery
  • Denham Medical Centre
  • The Hall Practice
  • The Misbourne Practice
  • The Allan Practice
  • Little Chalfont Surgery

Chesham Local Vaccination Site

This site will administer the vaccine to eligible patients registered at:

  • The New Surgery
  • Water Meadow Surgery
  • Gladstone Road Surgery
  • Rectory Meadow Surgery
  • Amersham Health Centre
  • John Hampden Surgery
  • Hughenden Valley Surgery
  • Prospect House Surgery

High Wycombe Local Vaccination Site

This site will administer the vaccine to eligible patients registered at:

  • Millbarn Medical Centre
  • Highfield Surgery
  • Marlow Medical Centre
  • Cherrymead Surgery
  • The Simpson Centre
  • Bourne End & Wooburn Green Medical Centre
  • Tower House Surgery
  • Desborough Surgery
  • Kingswood Surgery
  • Priory Surgery

Princes Risborough Local Vaccination Site

This site will administer the vaccine to eligible patients registered at:

  • Cross Keys Surgery
  • Unity Health

Winslow Local Vaccination Site

This site will administer the vaccine to patients eligible registered at:

  • Ashcroft Surgery
  • Waddesdon Surgery
  • 3W Health

The two further sites that are going live on Friday (January 15)

High Wycombe Town Centre Local Vaccination Site

This site will administer the vaccine to eligible patients registered at:

  • Carrington House Surgery
  • Chiltern House Medical Centre
  • Riverside Surgery
  • Riverside Surgery
  • Stokenchurch Medical Centre
  • Wye Valley Surgery

Aylesbury Local Vaccination Site

This site will administer the vaccine to eligible patients registered at:

  • Berryfields Medical Centre
  • Edlesborough Surgery
  • Haddenham Medical Centre
  • Mandeville Surgery
  • Meadowcroft Surgery
  • Oakfield Surgery
  • Poplar Grove Practice
  • Westongrove PCN
  • Whitehill Surgery