Covid-19 Vaccine Roll-out 2021-01-12
2021-01-12
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Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Direct Answer
Will the Secretary of State confirm that all constituents will be able to get their jabs locally? When will the new vaccination centre at Huddersfield's John Smith's stadium be opening?
Everybody will be able to get a jab locally. Across England, a local vaccination centre will be available within 10 miles of where everyone lives. For the vast majority—over 95%—this will be a fixed site; for more rural areas, there will be mobile units. The centre at John Smith's stadium in Huddersfield is going to open in the next couple of weeks.
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Q2
Partial Answer
How many vaccines have been delivered by the UK Government for use in Scotland?
We distribute vaccine supplies based on population according to the Barnett formula. A fair population share is available to the Scottish NHS, and it is for the NHS in Scotland to ensure that each jab gets into somebody's arm.
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Assessment & feedback
specific number of vaccines delivered to Scotland
We Distribute Vaccine Supplies Based On Population According To The Barnett Formula.
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Q3
Direct Answer
Can the Secretary of State reassure me that every care is being taken to ensure that smaller GP practices in rural areas are not disadvantaged in scheduling their patients for vaccination relative to larger urban practices?
Small or large, rural or urban, we need GPs to vaccinate right across the country. We are organising it through primary care networks, covering between 30,000 and 50,000 patients, ensuring each group contributes some staff to the vaccination team.
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Q4
Partial Answer
Will the Secretary of State confirm when the hard-working staff and volunteers on the ground will receive the doses and equipment that they need to open the vaccination centre?
The kit will be delivered on time—over 98% of vaccines have been delivered on time. I will get back to the hon. Gentleman and make sure that the Minister for covid vaccine deployment gets back with precise details of when the kit will arrive at his local hospital.
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Assessment & feedback
precise timeline for kit delivery
I Will Get Back To The Hon. Gentleman And Make Sure That The Minister For Covid Vaccine Deployment Gets Back With Precise Details.
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Q5
Partial Answer
Can the Secretary of State tell us what the plan is for accepting these kind offers of help and support with the vaccination programme?
We have been working since the summer to ensure that some sites are ready to be vaccination centres. We are open to further offers but it is important for infection control reasons to keep testing and vaccine sites separate. The specific offer should be raised with the Minister responsible for vaccine deployment.
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Assessment & feedback
specific plan for accepting offers of support
We Are Open To Further Offers But It Is Important For Infection Control Reasons To Keep Testing And Vaccine Sites Separate.
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Q6
Direct Answer
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Context
The MP thanked the government for vaccine distribution efforts in Scunthorpe and care homes.
I thank my right hon. Friend for his help in getting the vaccine into our Ironstone Centre, Scunthorpe Hospital, and some of our care homes. Can he tell us how the new Oxford vaccine will speed up access to the jab for those still waiting and what that means for towns and villages in my area such as Hibaldstow, Scawby, Kirton in Lindsey, Messingham? Will they see more local vaccination centres?
It is so important to get the vaccine to care homes. Over a quarter of care home residents have now received their first dose of the vaccine, and the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is much easier to get to care homes by taking the vaccine to the care home rather than opening new centres. People in Hibaldstow, Scawby, Kirton in Lindsey, Messingham and throughout the Scunthorpe constituency will be within 10 miles of a vaccination centre.
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Q7
Direct Answer
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Context
The MP thanked the government for setting up five GP vaccination centres in his constituency.
I thank the five GP vaccination centres serving my constituency in Brigg, Goole, Owston Ferry, Scunthorpe and Barton. As we move from phase 1 into phase 2, can the Secretary of State bear in mind shop workers who have had to work throughout this pandemic without any protection and deal with hundreds of people every day? Can we make sure that they are prioritised?
Yes, I want to thank shop workers in essential shops who have had to be there for all of us even in these difficult times when the virus is widely spread. We will look very carefully at those professions that will need to be prioritised in phase 2 of the prioritisation programme. We will also look at teachers, police and others but we will look at shop workers and make those decisions based on data.
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Q8
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP asked for a large-scale vaccination center in Keighley.
I commend my right hon. Friend for what he is doing in terms of the vaccine roll-out. Across West Yorkshire, we have four large-scale vaccination centres planned but that means that we have one in the Bradford district. May I put in a plea to have a large-scale vaccination centre in Keighley? Can we also consider as vaccination centres smaller-scale offerings coming forward from places such as Ilkley Rugby Club?
I will absolutely look at those two suggestions. I also remind my hon. Friend, all of his constituents and all those across the Bradford district that there are the large-scale vaccination centres but there is also the primary care-based delivery happening right across the country.
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Assessment & feedback
specific pledge for a Keighley centre
Looking At Suggestions
Primary Care Delivery
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Q9
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP reported issues with the Pinnacle IT system being slow and causing delays.
It has been reported that Pinnacle is already struggling to cope with heavy usage. My local GP vaccination hub reported that it was being slow and there have also been worrying reports about very elderly people having to queue for a long time outdoors while staff try to get the IT system working. Will the Secretary of State please confirm what action the Department is taking to ensure that the systems work more efficiently, and will be able to cope as the number of vaccination sites grows?
Clearly, the IT underpinnings of this project are critical. The Pinnacle system is working well but we are constantly monitoring it to make sure that it supports the roll-out of the vaccine.
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Assessment & feedback
specific steps for improving efficiency
System Is Working
Monitoring
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Q10
Partial Answer
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The MP highlighted concerns about the high number of deaths and hospitalizations.
Our sense of encouragement at the roll-out of the vaccine is tempered by our deep alarm at the situation we are in. Over 80,000 people have died on current trends likely to see more deaths in this wave than seen in the first. Millions still have to go to work and the virus is now more infectious. Those still going to work include NHS staff, with 46,000 of them off sick with covid. Can the Secretary of State go further and faster, and ensure that frontline NHS staff receive the vaccination in the next two weeks? Will he provide daily updates on the numbers of NHS staff who have been vaccinated?
We do now provide daily statistics on the roll-out of the vaccine and we will provide more data as the system matures and the roll-out advances. The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right to raise the challenges that the NHS is facing today. Although the roll-out of the vaccine is proceeding well and we are on track to hit targets, we must stress following rules to control this virus and reduce pressures on the NHS.
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Assessment & feedback
specific commitment to vaccinate NHS staff within two weeks
Providing Daily Stats
Raising Challenges
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Q11
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP expressed concern about the current crisis in hospital beds filling up and intensive care units being maxed out.
We all understand that until vaccination is rolled out more generally we will continue to see hospitalisations. The NHS is currently in a crisis: beds are filling up; intensive care unit surge capacity is being maxed out; ambulances are backed up outside hospitals and there are warnings about oxygen supplies. Hospitals were not built for these demands on oxygen, so can the Secretary of State assure us that there are contingencies in place and can he guarantee that no hospital will run out of oxygen in the coming weeks?
There are very significant pressures on the NHS. The limitation is not the supply of oxygen itself; it is the ability to get oxygen through physical oxygen supply systems in hospitals. As we have a national health service, if a hospital cannot put more pressure on its oxygen system, people will be moved to a different location—locally or across the country—to ensure they receive treatment.
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Assessment & feedback
guarantee of no hospital running out of oxygen
Noting Limitations
Moving Patients Elsewhere
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Q12
Partial Answer
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Context
The Secretary of State previously disclosed that only a quarter of residents in English care homes had been vaccinated, despite being the highest priority group. This is significantly lower than Scotland's efforts.
Yesterday, the Secretary of State revealed that only a quarter of care home residents in England had been vaccinated against covid, despite being the No. 1 priority group. Can he explain why they were not the first cohort to receive the Pfizer vaccine in December, as was the case in Scotland?
That is not quite right. I am glad to report that care home residents have been receiving the Pfizer jab. That is harder—logistically more difficult. Looking at the total roll-out of the programme, I am delighted that, as the hon. Lady says, over a quarter of people who are residents in care homes are now able to get the jab, and that number is rising sharply.
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Assessment & feedback
The answerer did not address why care home residents were not prioritised first in December as was done in Scotland.
That Is Not Quite Right
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