Retired Yorkshire GPs open up about stepping up to support coronavirus vaccination roll out

A partnership of surgeries in Yorkshire, which includes practices in Skipton, South Craven and Keighley, recently made an urgent plea for retired health professionals and others interested in joining a huge volunteering effort to get the community vaccinated.

Previously the Modality partnership - which operates in North and West Yorkshire - received one of the first batches in the country of the Oxford Astra Zeneca vaccine, last weekend.

Since then it has been overwhelmed with offers of help - including from retired nurses, GPs, dentists and even vets, from across North and West Yorkshire.

Helping to carry out the vaccinations were 23 volunteers who had recently completed their training.

These volunteers are helping staff at the vaccination hub at Long Lee, in Keighley this week, and other vaccination clinics in the weeks ahead, with a further 50 volunteers in training.

One of those helping out is retired GP Dr Alan Hassey, who worked at the Fisher Medical Centre in Skipton and Gargrave, for 31 years before retiring in 2013.

He said: "My first vaccinator shift was on a freezing cold January morning, but there were no complaints from the over 80s queuing inside and out, just good humour and gratitude for a chance to escape from the Covid nightmare.

"There was a real buzz about the surgery, busy, good-humoured and a great sense of purpose, knowing that for every 20 vaccines we gave, one life would be saved.”

Dr Hassey added: "It was great to meet the other vaccinators, returning doctors, nurses, ambulance staff and first-aiders and others.

"It was really quite emotional, I felt very proud to be part of the team again with patients so enthusiastic about the vaccination."

Retired Fisher Medical Centre GP Dr Tom White has also stepped out of retirement to help in the local vaccination roll out.

He said: "I'm so pleased to be able to come back to help my former colleagues and the wider community at this time.

"I'm amazed by the incredible organisation that has gone into delivering this vaccination programme locally and the way that so many different medical professionals are working cooperatively in such a worthwhile effort."

The partnership has set up one of the main vaccination hubs in the area with a capacity to vaccinate over 500 people a day at Long Lee in Keighley.

With plans for a second vaccination centre to come on line by the end of the month a spokesman from Modality said it hopes to be vaccinating 1000’s of patients every week.

Other volunteer help has included Keighley Town councillor Chris Graham mobilising neighbours to act as car parking volunteers – and they are enjoying helping being part of the way out of this crisis.

While local resident Mick Dowse gritted the car park during the recent cold spell and Cliffe Castle donated the use of some pop-up gazebos when the rain fell.

Also Keighley Leisure centre sent up some staff to help with patient flows and ensuring social distancing.

Bill Graham, a spokesperson for Modality, said: "It's been incredible to see the community pull together to help us get the Long Lee vaccination centre established.

"Great credit and thanks to all the volunteers who made this possible and it has been a true team effort."

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