The Valleys Primary Care Network was one of the first areas in the country to launch Covid vaccinations, with the first appointments offered on the 22nd December. Vaccinations have taken place at Holme Valley Memorial Hospital as soon as vaccinations have arrived.

A special thank you to the hard working volunteers, coordinated by Holmfirth Tech and Holmfirth Rotary club, who have ensured the safe flow of patients on the day.

Up to February 15th we have vaccinated over 10,000 patients. We have focussed vaccinations on people over the age of 80, those who are housebound and those living in a care home, as instructed by NHS England and the JCVI.

Please see here for a useful blog from a Cheshire GP about the vaccination campaign with answers to common questions;

Dr Jon Griffiths - Blog

For anyone who has yet to receive an invite, there are a number of ways you may be contacted about having a covid vaccination;

• You will receive a text or a call from your practice when a vaccine is available for you. The text will include a link so you can book the appointment yourself on an online booking system.
• You may receive a letter from the Government inviting you to a mass vaccination site (you can choose to attend this or wait for your GP surgery to contact you)

Vaccination Passports

Key information for 'Vaccination passports'. See gov.uk for full details

• Access via NHS app from May 17th
• Register on NHS app now (guide below)
• Contact 119 if need a letter for foreign travel

Do NOT contact your GP.

Quick guide to register NHS app

You can access your COVID-19 vaccination status through the free NHS App from 17 May. You can access the app through mobile devices such as a smartphone or by tablet. Proof of your COVID-19 vaccination status will be shown within the NHS App. We recommend that you register with the app before booking international travel.

If you do not have access to a smartphone and know that the country you are travelling to requires COVID-19 vaccination status, you can call the NHS helpline on 119 (from 17 May) and ask for a letter to be posted to you. This must be at least 5 days after you’ve completed your course of the vaccine. We expect the letter to take up to 5 days to reach you.

Do not contact your GP surgery about your COVID-19 vaccination status. GPs cannot provide letters showing your COVID-19 vaccination status.

All images courtesy of Jonty Wilde Photography Ltd