Falkirk COVID vaccine pharmacy team 'unsung heroes’ after distributing 300,000 doses

The new venue provided vital space for the team which managed the move over a weekend with no impact to the service during the largest public health vaccination programme in NHS history.

The cold room provides capacity for storing more than triple the number of vaccines that were held at Forth Valley Royal Hospital and is fitted with a state-of-the-art double condenser.

This provides contingency in the event of any fridge failures and is vital due to the scale of the vaccine programmes being provided by the Health Board.

More than 500,000 doses of the Covid-19 vaccine - first, second and boosters - have been administered in total across Forth Valley since the start of the programme.

The new location has also allowed the team to become better integrated with the immunisation team which is also based there.

Kirstin Cassells, NHS Forth Valley lead pharmacist community pharmacy, public health and integrated services, said: "The vaccine pharmacy team has worked tirelessly throughout, to ensure NHS Forth Valley has adequate supplies of vaccines.

"They are unsung heroes and have helped achieve outstanding vaccination rates across our local area.”

The team provides vaccine supplies to the main community vaccination hubs in Falkirk, Stirling and Clackmannanshire as well as hospital wards, other acute settings, care homes and prison medical centres.

“The team has also grown from two to seven people.

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