Bracknell and Ascot health services have joined forces with Waitrose to help protect local people from COVID-19.

Waitrose has donated the use of its Sports and Leisure Centre at its head office in Willoughby Road, Bracknell, for the roll-out of the COVID 19 vaccine in the community, through a GP-led service which went live Tuesday 22nd December. The leisure centre is usually used by Waitrose Partners but has been closed since the start of the pandemic. 

Fiona Slevin Brown, Executive Managing Director for Bracknell Forest and a COVID-19 vaccinator herself, said: “On behalf of my colleagues in the NHS, I would like to personally thank Waitrose for their kind donation which has allowed us to kick-start the roll-out of our COVID-19 vaccination programme in the community.

“This really is a momentous milestone and I’m grateful to everyone who has been involved in getting the clinic up and running, particularly our three Primary Care Networks (PCNs) and Berkshire Primary Care who I know have being working tirelessly to ensure the safe delivery of the vaccine.”

The launch of today’s clinic in Bracknell will see invited patients aged 80 and over being vaccinated in line with national guidance. This follows the initial roll-out of the vaccine at Wexham Park Hospital earlier this month to priority and at-risk groups, as well as front line staff. There are plans for the vaccine to cover wider areas and groups - including care homes - in the coming days and weeks.

Health services are reminding people not to contact the NHS to arrange an appointment but to wait until they are contacted. The national vaccination programme is the largest ever undertaken by the NHS and will take many months to complete.