Vaccination Service In Eastbourne's The Beacon Chosen As National Booking Hub

Wednesday, 12 May 2021 06:00

Victoria Medical Centre’s vaccination service — located in The Beacon, Eastbourne — has been selected as part of the national vaccine booking service.

This means that eligible people can now choose to have their vaccine at the centre, by either booking online or using a unique QR code.

Previously the service could only offer vaccines to patients of the Victoria Medical Centre, or other practices, by invitation only.

Nigel Grinstead, director of the centre, said:

“We had to apply to be recognised as one of the national sites that can offer the vaccine to anyone eligible so we will now be vaccinating patients, not just from Eastbourne, Hailsham and Polegate, but further afield.

“When you go to book your vaccine online through the government website you can choose to have it done here, or there is a QR code in our vaccination centre window at The Beacon that you can use to book your appointment.

“We are really thrilled that our track record in delivering more than 26,000 vaccines to local people since we opened here now means we can offer the vaccines to even more people and continue the fantastic work that is being achieved nationwide with the rollout of the vaccination programme.”

Sian Sanwell, Operations Director at VMC has been instrumental in the set-up of the vaccination clinic and has covered every day that the clinic has been open, working tirelessly to ensure sufficient staff are in place and a great service offered:

“I am very proud to be part of this fantastic service offered to patients. I cannot thank enough all the staff and volunteers who have come forward to help ensure the vaccination centre runs smoothly.”

Bill Plumridge, manager of The Beacon, said:

“We’re really pleased that the vaccination service is continuing in The Beacon and we hope that people will book to come into the centre to enjoy some retail therapy while getting their vaccine done at the same time.”

The GP-led service was opened in The Beacon in December 2020 at the start of the government’s vaccination programme. It is one of just a few vaccination services to be run in a shopping centre.