A “postcode lottery” row has blown up over community coronavirus vaccine clinics amidst claims south Angus has been ignored in the new roll-out.
NHS Tayside is setting up centres across the region, including at Stracathro Hospital, near Brechin; Arbroath Infirmary, Links Health centre in Montrose and Forfar’s Whitehills Health and Community Care Centre.
It is part of a move to deliver the jab to the 65 to 69-year-old age group.
Health chiefs have said the aim is to invite everyone in the age bracket for vaccination by the middle of this month.
But a Carnoustie councillor has criticised the absence of a south Angus clinic and branded it another example of “two-tier” treatment for one of the local authority’s four locality areas.
Independent Brian Boyd said: “Carnoustie leisure centre is sitting empty, or the Beach Hall in Monifieth could have been used.
“But here we are again in a situation where residents in Monifieth and Carnoustie feel they are living in a two-tier Angus.
Four locality areas for Angus Council
Mr Boyd added: “As a council we work on a four locality basis – Arbroath and Area; Brechin/Montrose; Forfar/Kirriemuir, and Carnoustie/Monifieth and Sidlaws – so why is there not one in each.
“The Brechin/Montrose locality has two clinics while south Angus has none.
“The south Angus demographic shows the highest proportion of 65 to 69-year-olds in the county.
“I am very supportive of our medical centre in Carnoustie and the work they do, but with no clinic site in south Angus how can our residents be assured they will not see an increase in the already long waiting times for an appointment for non-Covid enquiries.
“Why were the four Angus localities all looked at during whatever negotiations took place over the proposed location of these clinics.
“Postcode lottery” claim
“It seems to be a bit of a postcode lottery situation for people in Carnoustie and Monifieth.
“I don’t think this will do anything to ease the perception of inequality that residents in south Angus have felt on numerous occasions,” said Mr Boyd.
An Angus Council spokesperson said: “The vaccine programme is being delivered by the NHS and as such they make the decisions on vaccination provision. “Angus Council stands ready to support NHS Tayside as and when required.”
Health chiefs said the local centres will up the pace of the vaccination programme.
An NHS Tayside spokesperson said: “The roll-out of the COVID-19 vaccination programme and the rapid establishment of local vaccination centres across the area has been an unprecedented effort by many teams across health and social care and our local authority partners.
“We are pleased to say that nearly 60,000 people in Tayside have now had their jab and that number is rising every day.
“Our GP colleagues across Tayside have already successfully delivered vaccinations for those aged 80 and over in their local practices and they are now offering vaccination to people aged over 70 and those who are classed as clinically extremely vulnerable.”
They added: “These community vaccination centres will offer the jab to those aged 65-69 in this next phase. You will be contacted directly by NHS Tayside to arrange an appointment with invitations starting to go out this week.”
Angus OAP reveals anxiety around vaccination information
A newly-vaccinated Angus OAP has revealed her anxiety over the lack of information around getting the jab led her to go for a precautionary Covid-19 test.
Sandra Savage from Carnoustie had no coronavirus symptoms and hadn’t been feeling unwell, but said she went to a testing station to put her own mind at rest.
The 76-year-old received her vaccination at the town’s medical centre on Tuesday, after what she felt was a lack of information around the programme.
“I contacted the medical centre and they said they had no vaccines and that a Thursday clinic was full,” said Sandra.
“They told me they didn’t know when they were getting vaccine, or who to contact about it.
“No-one seemed to know what was going on with it.
“I’d been waiting and watching, hearing that other people were getting it and I just felt that if you were in Glasgow or Edinburgh things seemed to be happening, but not here.
“Last Saturday I was passing a testing centre and I just thought ‘I’m going to get a test’.
“It wasn’t that I felt unwell and it was ok, I was negative.”
Sandra added: “From being told the clinic was fully booked I suddenly got contacted for my appointment.
“I’m obviously very happy to get the jab but it seemed no-one knew when vaccine was coming and how much they were going to get.”
NHS Tayside has repeated a plea for people to be patient as they work through the priority vaccination groups.
A spokesperson said: “When it’s your turn to have a vaccine then you will be contacted and therefore it’s really important that you continue to have patience.
“Our GP colleagues are asking that people don’t contact their practice to ask when they will get their jab as this may mean hold-ups in booking people in.
“A further plea to people from all our healthcare professionals in the community and in our hospitals is that even after receiving your jab, please continue to follow the guidance.
“Remember it takes two-three weeks for the vaccine to provide protection and it is not known whether it stops you spreading the virus to others.
“We all need to continue to stick to the rules and help stop the spread in our communities.”
