Vaccination letters “confusing” for older people who need their jab administered locally, says Bill Esterson MP

Sefton Central MP Bill Esterson has criticised the arrangements for the roll-out of the coronavirus vaccine, saying his constituents should not have to travel up to 45 minutes to St Helens for a jab.

Bill Esterson MP said letters that had been sent to elderly constituents had confused many people and left them angry at the prospect of a 90-minute round trip to St Helens, when there are vaccine sites locally at Maghull, Bootle, Ainsdale and Southport and when pharmacies and GP surgeries are also available for vaccinations.

Mr Esterson has been informed that if residents do not wish to travel to the mass vaccination site at St Helens Ruby Club stadium, which opened as a vaccine site today (Monday), they are able to wait until their GP contacts them with an appointment at a local centre. But residents have told Mr Esterson the letter is confusing, gives conflicting instructions and gives the impression that residents have to go to St Helens if they want the vaccination.

Mr Esterson said: “I’m very worried to hear about over 80s receiving letters about having to go to St Helens from Formby, Crosby, Maghull and elsewhere across Sefton. They should be hearing from their GP about something much closer to home. The government needs to clear up this mess over these vaccination letters which are causing such upset. People are confused because they’re getting two sets of instructions about where to go for a vaccine. Many people cannot drive 30 or 45 minutes for a vaccine and the information should be clear and simple with one option. That option has to be that people will get a call very soon from their GP about having the vaccine at a local site.

“There are thousands of vaccines being administered each week now within Sefton so there is no need for people to go to a mass vaccination site unless they are 100 per cent comfortable to do so.

“I met with the clinical commissioning group (CCG) last week and was informed that they are on course to vaccinate all the top 4 priority groups in Sefton by February 15 without anyone having to travel outside of the borough.

“The government needs to sort this out because this confusion among our most vulnerable residents is unacceptable, and I will be pressing Health Ministers to do exactly that.”