Positive Progress At Poynton’s Vaccination Centre

Local MP, David Rutley, has thanked local doctors, nurses and support staff at the Middlewood Partnership and volunteers, on behalf of local residents, for all that they are doing to successfully roll out the coronavirus vaccine and tackle the pandemic locally.

Over recent weeks, over 5,500 people have received the vaccine in the Poynton, Bollington and Disley area and the team in Poynton has developed the capacity to vaccinate over 1,200 people each day when vaccines are made available to them. All those included in the first four vaccination priority groups, including all those over 70 and the most clinically vulnerable in the local area, are on track to receive the vaccine by the mid-February target to ensure that the most vulnerable in the community are protected first.

During his visit, David met Dr Paul Bowen, Medical Director and GP Partner of the Middlewood Partnership, who introduced him to the dedicated volunteers involved in ushering and supporting patients while they visit the centre. David was also able to see first-hand how the vaccination process works and meet with the medical team and patients.

David spoke to the Middlewood Partnership staff, including GPs, nurses and pharmacists involved in the preparation and vaccination processes. He also met Dr Rachel Hall, one of the Middlewood GP Partners, who has worked with Dr Bowen in overseeing the local vaccination programme, and Laura Beresford, one of the practice managers, responsible for coordinating logistics. 

Local patients told David how the vaccination process was easy to follow and that the treatment they received was excellent. During his visit, several patients told the MP how grateful they were to be able to receive the vaccine and for the greater sense of hope that this gave them for the future.

The NHS will contact local residents when it is their turn to receive the vaccine. David strongly encourages local residents to attend their designated vaccination appointments and is actively supporting vaccine uptake to help us all come out of the other side of this pandemic.

After visiting the vaccination centre, Dr Bowen provided an update on progress at the Middlewood Partnership following the merger of four GP practices to create an advanced primary care network. In the new “Hub”, GPs work with local district nurses, care coordinators and other clinicians to triage and signpost care to 34,000 patients across Bollington, Disley and Poynton. NHS England have recognised the Partnership as one of the most advanced GP practices, leading the way with the use of technology and multiple professionals to deliver modern primary care.

Following his visit, David said, “I am very grateful for the hard work of the doctors, nurses and administration team at the Middlewood Partnership and for all that they are doing to ensure that the coronavirus vaccine is rolled out as speedily as possible to the first phase priority groups. It is great to see how local volunteers and Poynton Town Council are working in partnership to support this programme, which is vital in helping us navigate our route back to more normal times.”

Pictured - David Rutley MP (Middle), Dr Paul Bowen, Medical Director and GP Partner of the Middlewood Partnership (Right of David) and his team, taken in the Poynton Civic Centre.