Agenda item

The Clinical Lead for Mass Vaccinations for Bristol North Somerset South Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group (BNSSG CCG) introduced the report.  The Operations Lead for Mass Vaccination, Director of Commissioning, Associate Director of Communications and Director of Commissioning, BNSSG CCG, also spoke to the report.

·       The Chair stated that Councillors had a role to ensure information reached communities; and invited the CCG to send updates which would be passed on to known networks and via social media.

·       The Committee heard that the Clinical Governance Group had recorded all known side effects; local reporting for moderate to severe side effects had shown low rates and no difference between the vaccinations.  The most common side effect was a local one (painful arm).

·       The report was commended, and Members commented that it was good to see data used in a smart way, with a geographical focus and used to identify at-risk groups.

·       There was a discussion about how prioritisation of cohorts had worked in practice, and the Committee heard that all GP practices were grouped in Primary Care Networks (PCN) and cohort populations were identified within them, the vaccine supply was matched to that, and it was ensured that all PCNS were in line and had not fallen behind others so no area of the population would be disadvantaged.  

·       Members heard that in practice, due to the way the vaccine had arrived and that it had to be used within a week, there might not have been a completely even roll out across the PCNs, but it had been kept as even as possible.

·       The Committee heard that GP records were used to identify those who had underlying health risks, and so assessed at a higher risk for COVID-19, and would be prioritised.  

·       The team were commended for the way the vaccination roll out had been coordinated and delivered so far.

·       Cllr Goggin shared with the Committee that he had received the AstraZeneca vaccine and had posted a photo on social media which provided positive messaging about the vaccine.  Mohamed Abdi and Mohammed ElSharif at Muslims for Bristol were commended for their work to provide information and dispel myths about the vaccine.

·       The Committee was advised that there was a national observatory system which monitored every vaccination, provided information and ensured 2^nd doses were appropriately provided.  

·       There was a discussion about how not being registered with a GP affected access to vaccinations, and the Committee was advised that there had been work to encourage people to register, with assurances that information would be only used for health purposes. 

·       Members heard that, as a fail-safe, there was the ability to vaccinate those people who were unregistered; this ensured there were no barriers to receiving the vaccine.  This was particularly important for people who were homeless and asylum seekers.

·       Also, it was recognised that some people had not registered with a GP or would not share all health issues with their GP, and so if they had a risk factor and had not been registered, they could still receive a vaccination.

·       The Committee heard from Vicky Marriott, Healthwatch Bristol, who explained that there had been enquiries from people how considered themselves carers and tried to register with a GP but had been unable to do so; and there was a discussion about whether there was a criteria for how GPs would recognise carers.

·       Healthwatch and Members were advised that there was a definition for unpaid carers; the issue was a number of people who identified as carers did not fit into those categories; but this would be mitigated by the ability for people to self-declare which would be available soon.