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COMMENT CSJ THE CLINICAL SERVICES JOURNAL Editor


Louise Frampton louiseframpton@stepcomms.com


Technical Editor Kate Woodhead Business Manager


Dean Walford deanwalford@stepcomms.com


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Journal Administration


Katy Cockle katycockle@stepcomms.com


Design Steven Dillon Publisher


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Publishing Director Trevor Moon trevormoon@stepcomms.com


THE CLINICAL SERVICES JOURNAL is published in January, February, March, April, May, June, August, September, October and November by Step Communications Ltd, Step House, North Farm Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN2 3DR, UK. Tel: +44 (0)1892 779999 Fax: +44 (0)1892 616177 Email: info@clinicalservicesjournal.com Web: www.clinicalservicesjournal.com


An injection of hope, but uptake still varies


At the time of writing this, the UK has received some welcome news in the long fight against COVID-19 – the Government has hit its vaccination target! As of Sunday 14 February, all care home residents and staff, health and social care workers, people aged 70 and over, and the clinically extremely vulnerable have been offered a vaccine. These groups account for 88% of deaths from COVID-19, meaning potentially tens of thousands of lives will be saved. The health service across the UK has been working tirelessly to vaccinate those most at risk as quickly as possible, with nearly 1,000 vaccines being administered a minute at one point and a record 598,389 first doses delivered in one day on 31 January. More than 15.3 million people in the UK (more than a quarter of all adults) have now been vaccinated with their first dose and, by the time this edition rolls off the print line, this figure will no doubt be much higher still.


The vaccination programme has been a huge achievement on the part of the scientific community, healthcare workers and volunteers from the general public, who have all come together to deliver hope after a very long and dark year. As elderly and vulnerable family members are now receiving their jabs, it feels like a dark cloud is starting to lift. There is a great deal to cautiously celebrate. However, the Royal College of Nursing has highlighted the fact that more than two in five agency nursing staff and one in four temporary staff have not received a vaccine. The RCN called for the Government to “redouble its efforts” to reach these groups who are being “left behind in the vaccination programme”.


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ISSN No. 1478-5641


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There is also further work required in understanding the barriers to uptake of the vaccination among the BAME community. Analysis of vaccination figures, by the Royal College of GPs, has shown that 90.6% of all recipients of COVID-19 vaccines, so far, have been white. Comparing uptake with other ethnicities shows that people of mixed ethnicity, Asian and black are, respectively, approximately only 33%, 47% and 64% as likely to receive the vaccine as white people. The College is concerned that many ‘vaccine hesitant’ patients may belong to those communities that have been worst hit by the


MARCH 2021


virus, “potentially creating swathes across the country where COVID-19 may remain a threat long after it is necessary.” Trusts also need to be part of this action and work with NHS workers from the BAME community to tackle this issue. A study at one Trust found 70.9% of white staff had received the jab, compared with 58.5% of South Asian staff and 36.8% of black staff (Source: BBC, 16 February). As Professor Martin Marshall, chair of the Royal College of GPs, points out: “The best way to address concerns is to ensure that they are heard and provide as much information and clarity as possible, but this information has the potential to be ignored if messages aren’t delivered by people who BAME communities


The UK vaccination programme has accelerated with nearly 1,000 vaccines being administered a minute.


can relate to and have confidence in.” Public health experts, healthcare colleagues, high profile BAME community representatives, and faith leaders will all need to play their part in tackling suspicion and misinformation around the vaccines. “If prominent figures from BAME communities work with the NHS to help bust the myths around the COVID vaccine and help deliver clear and relevant messages about its safety, it may very well save lives,” Professor Marshall concluded. We cannot rest until the whole of our community receives protection from this terrible infection.


Louise Frampton l Editor louiseframpton@stepcomms.com


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