NHS Scotland COVID-19 Vaccine Programme
12 January 2021
As you will be aware a priority framework for Covid-19 Vaccination is being implemented across health and social care to identify staff roles classed as frontline in accordance with the guidelines from the Scottish Government.
The majority of doctors in training will be classed as frontline. Please be assured that as your employer, NES is working closely with both Placement Boards and General Practices to ensure that you can access the vaccination as quickly and as easily as possible. Our expectation is that you will usually receive your vaccination alongside your placement team. However, we are also able to provide vaccinations via our Occupational Health provider (NSS) and so where, by exception, a doctor in training cannot be vaccinated alongside the placement team, we have planned for vaccination to be available via NSS OHS.
If you are encountering any difficulties, please let us know as soon as possible by emailing Mhairi Sheilds at Mhairi.Sheilds@nhs.scot and we will work with you and your placement to explore options.
We would like to ensure we have an accurate picture of the accessibility of vaccinations to our doctors in training so that we can provide the best support to our employees. Please can you answer the following questions via the Questback link provided: https://response.questback.com/nhseducationforscotland/covid19vaccineprogramme1
- I have received my first dose of the Covid-19 vaccination
- I have an appointment to receive my first dose of the Covid-19 vaccination
- I have been told I will be vaccinated in placement; date is to be advised
- I have not had any information from my placement on when I will receive my first Covid-19 vaccination OR my placement will not provide my first vaccination
As further details become available on the vaccination programme and on the NSS vaccination clinics, updates will be provided on the Turas Hub and we recommend that you check here for updates regularly. Where you have already received or will receive your vaccination via your placement, you will be able to have your OH record updated, we will share information on this in due course. We are also discussing with placements the impact of February rotations for those who have not yet been vaccinated and for those receiving the second dose.
It is important to remember that while the Covid-19 vaccine is very effective in preventing serious ill health and hospitalisations, individuals who have been vaccinated should still continue to use infection control measures such as face coverings, social distancing and hand washing. It is also important that those who are shielding, remain shielding even after receiving the vaccine.
Should you have any queries in the meantime regarding the Covid-19 vaccination programme, please contact Mhairi Sheilds at Mhairi.Sheilds@nhs.scot