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Sutton residents praise rollout

Residents in Sutton Coldfield have praised the Covid 19 vaccination programme currently being rolled out in the town ahead of schedule.

People over the age of 65 are now having their jab in what one resident described as an operation being run with military precision by Sutton Coldfield Group Practice.

The town hall set up is impressive, with a small army of vaccinators, aided by another small army of volunteers operating an efficient one-way system that sees people in, vaccinated and out in as little as five minutes.

It comes after another busy week last week at at  the town hall, where the practice, which includes Tudor Practice, Ley Hill Surgery, Four Oaks Medical Centre, The Vesey Practice, Sutton Park Surgery and Falcon Medical Centre, managed to administer another 3,142 first vaccines for patients across Sutton Coldfield.

Resident Patrick James is one of the first cohort of over 65s to get his jab, along with wife Joan.

The 66-year-old from Four Oaks said: “It’s a hugely impressive operation. You pull up at the free car park, where stewards guide you on how long you have to wait. That was no time all in our case, as they were ahead of schedule.

“The other volunteers guide you through registration and then into cubicles where the shot, either the Pfizer or Astrazenca, is administered. You are given a your instruction leaflet and after a quick check, sent merrily on your way. Very slick indeed.”

A member of the medical team said the transfer of vaccinations from Falcon Lodge Medical Centre to Sutton Coldfield Town Hall had allowed the medical teams to triple current rollout.

“We are well ahead of schedule and it’s been extremely busy,” she said.

Mr James added: “We were surprised to get the call from the GP earlier this week to come in and get the jab, considering the target for the over-70s was due to be completed next Monday. It just shows what a slick operation it is.”