Newbury Racecourse asks for coronavirus vaccination hub to be allowed to run on racedays
Request follows 'success of the first week of the vaccination centre with positive feedback from patients'
Newbury Racecourse has asked if exceptions can be made to allow a coronavirus vaccine hub to run on future racedays.
The hub established at the course opened last week to administer the Pfizer vaccine to patients registered with nine surgeries in West Berkshire – Strawberry Hill, Eastfield, Downland, Falkland, Burdwood, Thatcham, Hungerford, Lambourn, and Kintbury & Woolton Hill.
The vaccine programme is not running today (Wednesday) because it clashes with a raceday, and because of supply issues.
Clinics ran on Thursday, Friday and over the weekend, and a full-day clinic was run yesterday (Tuesday).
The Downland Practice said that the 1,170 doses delivered on Tuesday were all administered that day, rather than holding clinics on Wednesday and Thursday.
It added: "We get no more vaccine until Thursday."
Dr Abid Irfan from Strawberry Hill Medical Centre said on Monday that use of the hub was subject to race days.
"If there's a raceday, even if it's behind closed doors, I understand the racecourse has said we can't be on site," he said.
The racecourse said in a statement that the NHS was made aware of its scheduled racing meeting today and all future fixtures.
"It was also made clear that under the BHA [British Horseracing Authority] and government guidance for elite sport with our current layout, the vaccination centre could not operate on live racedays," the racecourse said.
"We understand the NHS considered this carefully and given the centre is not providing vaccinations to the public seven days per week, they have planned their vaccination programme accordingly to work around the two racedays we host in the next 42 days.
"Following the success of the first week of the vaccination centre with positive feedback from patients, we now have an established operational model that the NHS wish to use moving forward.
"As a result, we are now able to approach the BHA to see if an exception can be made to the regulations for future racedays, allowing the vaccination centre to operate alongside racing if required.
"Newbury Racecourse is extremely proud to play a small part in the fight against Covid-19 capitalising on the abundance of space we have to offer and have played a role throughout the pandemic as a community hub, acting as a Primary Care Unit during the first lockdown and operating a Meals on Wheels service to some of the most vulnerable and elderly in the area.
"Together with West Berks NHS, the local GP surgeries and the host of volunteers, we remain completely committed to supporting the local community and surrounding area during this challenging time."
The next raceday is scheduled for Saturday, February 13, before four meetings in March.
GPs have said that they are having to plan around supply of the vaccine.
Dr Irfan said: "Assuming there's no race days the next question is when are the supplies coming in?
"If the supply is on a Monday you normally book the next three days. If we are getting a supply every day, and no race days, then technically you could operate that as a seven-day hub absolutely, subject to staff and volunteers."
Asked about other surgeries being ahead of the game, Dr Irfan said: "We were one of the latter waves, so it's just a matter of timing.
"We will catch up and as supplies increase to our hub we can ramp up capacity significantly.
"So I think there may be a bit of a lag but I would reassure patients and say we are working on it. The hard work is done now. We've just got to get the vaccine and then we can ramp up capacity.
"We will get through all the cohorts. We may be two or three weeks behind those who started before Christmas but we will get there. People will get their vaccination."
The Downland Practice said: "Currently can vaccinate one person every 20 seconds at the hub with the Pfizer vaccine. This could rise to one every five seconds with AstraZeneca."
