First care home residents in Nottinghamshire get COVID vaccine

June Phelps being vaccinated by Olivia Swift at Ashmere Care Ltd

Sutton Manor resident June Phelps got her jab today (Thursday, December 31.) Residents from three care homes (Sutton Court, Sutton Manor and Sutton Lodge), part of the Ashmere Nottinghamshire Limited Group, received the vaccine from the Sherwood Forest Hospitals Trust vaccination hub.

All 136 residents at the homes were injected at the care complex as part of the Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Vaccination Programme in collaboration between the NHS and councils.

June came to Sutton Manor in 2018. She was in the armed forces for 16 years and raised a son and daughter.

She said: “I just want to hold my family again. I lost my husband to Covid-19, so this vaccine is so important.”

Councillor Tony Harper, Chairman of Adult Social Care and Health Committee at Nottinghamshire County Council, said:

“This is brilliant news for these residents who haven’t been able to have any physical contact with their families. It has been a real partnership effort to get to this point and also to plan for the roll-out of the vaccine to other homes, which will take place in stages over the coming weeks.”

John Brewin, Chief Executive Officer of Nottinghamshire Health Care Trust and lead provider for the vaccination programme said: “This is a momentous day for our care home residents.

“This is the biggest vaccination programme the NHS has ever undertaken. It’s a huge challenge and rolled out at great pace. The programme includes vaccinations at the hospital hubs and Local Vaccination Services at fixed sites across Nottinghamshire, open in January.

"Everyone will be vaccinated, we urge the public to be patient. The programme will take time, the public still need to follow the latest guidance and adhere to restrictions."

Chief Nurse at Sherwood Forest Hospitals, Julie Hogg, said: “It’s brilliant that we have been able to start the roll out of vaccinations to our care homes to protect some of the most vulnerable people.

“Our hospital hub remains extremely busy as we continue to vaccinate people in priority groups. Please do not contact the hospital, we will let you know when to make an appointment.”

The team will be at eight care homes from Monday across the county.

Claire Sharpe Ashmere Nottinghamshire Ltd MD said: “I’m delighted we got the very first “in care home” Covid vaccine by the roaming vaccination team.

"All the residents of Sutton court, Sutton Manor and Sutton Lodge are keen to get the jab. We see this as a big step in the right direction which should soon allow us to once again welcome families into our homes. To know that none of our residents will suffer from the effects of Covid is the best Christmas present we could wish for.

“Not only does this day have a big effect on our residents and their families but also for the staff who have worked tirelessly over the past nine months, many of whom have cared for residents with Covid. The fact that we are unlikely to suffer any additional Covid in the homes is a huge relief and we thank the vaccination team for the brilliant teamwork and making this day possible today.”