Millions more people could safely and swiftly be protected
against coronavirus if councils are able to act
shoulder-to-shoulder with the NHS in the distribution of a
vaccine, the Local Government Association sets out today.
GPs are initially expected to provide at least one million doses
of the vaccine when available each week across 1,500 practices
and drive-through centres, a huge logistical task which councils
can support and expand upon. The LGA said this will be too big a
task for the NHS to do on its own.
The LGA said civic centres, sports halls, libraries, athletic
stadiums, car parks and other council-owned facilities could be
brought into rapid use alongside mobile testing units, to support
the health service and GP surgeries in making sure as many
residents as possible are immunised.
The LGA, which represents councils across the country, says the
pandemic has demonstrated the crucial value of local knowledge,
supported by national coordination and resources, during this
unprecedented health crisis, when many local services have had to
be rapidly scaled up at short notice or new ones created.
This includes making use of community hubs, organising
volunteers, introducing helplines, coordinating shielding for
Clinically Extremely Vulnerable people, as well as bringing
together emergency planning, health protection and other
community support systems such as working with schools, colleges,
places of worship and businesses.
Councils across the country also already have an excellent track
record of building up and strengthening existing national
programmes, such as setting up local contact tracing partnerships
to complement NHS Test and Trace, while also helping with the
distribution and supply of PPE, using their unique local
knowledge, insight and relationships to deliver results on the
ground fast.
The LGA said the Government and NHS must utilise the knowledge
and experience of directors of public health when it comes to
distributing a potential COVID-19 vaccine.
Health visitors, school nurses, occupational health teams
alongside other public health workers employed or commissioned by
councils can also help administer the vaccine when available, in
line with the Government’s proposed prioritisation including
vulnerable people and older adults in care homes.
Care workers, charities and community groups could also receive
training to work alongside existing public health and primary
care staff to better target vulnerable groups who may be missed
by national vaccination efforts, such as street homeless and
people with mental health or learning disabilities.
Councils could also help bridge the digital divide for those in
their communities who may not be able to access an online booking
system or able to plan an appointment for a vaccine, such as
calling them or visiting them in person.
Cllr Ian Hudspeth, Chairman of the LGA’s Community Wellbeing
Board, said:
“Rolling out a vaccine to tens of millions of people will be a
monumental task as we look to save lives and hopefully bring
about an eventual return to our normal way of life.
“The Government and NHS must start working closely with councils’
directors of public health now so they can help co-ordinate the
roll-out and use their local knowledge and expertise to ensure
residents can be immunised as quickly as possible. This will be
too big a task for the NHS to do on its own.
“Putting councils shoulder-to-shoulder with the NHS on the
vaccination drive, with the right resources and flexibilities, is
vital to ensuring that those prioritised can receive a vaccine
safely, before focusing on the wider population including
hard-to-reach groups.
“Just as with contact tracing, councils’ unique relationship with
their residents mean they are best placed to make sure as many as
possible can receive a potentially life-saving vaccination.
Vulnerable people, older adults and health and care workers who
have been prioritised by government are more likely to quickly
receive these vital doses with encouragement from trusted local
leaders, through their local public health teams, who know best
how to reach them.”
