Croydon chief nurse calls on former NHS staff, students and volunteers to help vaccine roll-out

Former NHS staff, students and volunteers across Croydon are being asked to join forces with frontline workers to deliver the Covid-19 vaccination roll-out, as the health service tackles rising cases of Omicron. 

As part of the race to save lives and keep people healthy this winter, everyone over 18 is being offered the opportunity to get their booster by the end of the year.

Over 1.5 million jabs were delivered nationwide this weekend. 

Elaine Clancy, Croydon’s Chief Nurse, who is leading the NHS response to Covid-19 in the borough said: “We’re doing everything we can to protect local residents ahead of Christmas and our incredible NHS teams and other key workers, alongside hundreds of volunteer vaccinators, have been working tirelessly to deliver the fastest vaccine roll-out in health service history.  

“Former and future healthcare workers have played a significant role throughout the pandemic, and now, as we overcome the latest challenge in our fight against COVID-19, we’d like to call on past and future generations of NHS staff, along with the public, to come on board and help us.” 

The call comes as cases of Omicron increase, with boosters providing critical protection from the new variant. 

Matthew Kershaw, Chief Executive at Croydon Health Services NHS Trust and the borough’s Place-Based Leader for Health added: 

“Our vaccination programme is continuing to place a crucial role in protecting local residents against COVID-19. 

“Throughout this week, and even on Christmas Day, our teams will be delivering the life-saving jabs at hospital hubs, GP practices, pharmacies and vaccination centres across Croydon. 

“We know that 97% of patients in hospital in south west London are unvaccinated and so we’re also encouraging those who haven’t yet had their first and second doses of the COVID-19 jab to come forward and ensure they are protected from serious illness.  

“Vaccines are our best possible defence against the virus so I hope that local residents take up the offer of a COVID-19 vaccine this Christmas.” 

Those who would like to join the vaccine team in Croydon or across south west London are being urged to visit www.england.nhs.uk/joinvaccineteam to find out how they can help.