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COVID-19 clinical support

The current category is COVID-19 General

Covid-19 Vaccination Programme

Full details of the Covid-19 Vaccination programme (CVP) can be found here. This is a quickly evolving area, and we will endeavour to keep the website updated as new information emerges.

Key quick links

  • Updated advice on AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine
  • Green Book Covid-19 vaccination section
  • Detailed PHE guidance for healthcare workers administering vaccines including detailed information on contraindications, special groups, injection technique and legal aspects
  • Pinnacle login
  • SEL CCG Covid vaccine advice to GP practices for individuals with previous allergic reactions’, here.

Video for Patients and Staff (can be embedded into practice websites)

Further community vaccination videos from SELCCG can be accessed here and the public website for Covid vaccination including FAQs can be accessed here. A further list of videos for BAME communities from other organisations can be found here.

Updated advice on AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine

Following updated advice by MHRA on the administration of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccination we have pulled together key information that will make it easier for you to navigate these changes. We will keep this list updated as things evolve. Do check back frequently.

Cohort six search available for Primary Care Network Local Vaccination Services (Update from NHS England Primary Care Bulletin 4th March 2021)

A reminder that a search using nationally assured SNOMED codes is available in GP systems to help Primary Care Networks identify individuals who fall under the Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation’s priority cohort six for coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination. The search includes patients with underlying health conditions and people who are registered as carers at a GP practice.

The SNOMED codes have been identified in line with chapter 14 of Public Health England’s Green Book, which contains vaccination information for public health professionals. To view the national technical specification for this search, please register on the PRIMIS website.

GP practices should have received information about how to use the cohort six search directly from their system supplier. For further help and support, contact the National Vaccination Service Desk 0300 200 1000 vaccineservicedesk@england.nhs.uk.

There is a new (8th March 2021) standard operating procedure to help identify and enable unpaid carers to be invited quickly for vaccination as well as making provision for those unpaid carers who may not already be known to the health and social care system to come forward.

Vaccine booking letter templates produced by NHS England can be found here on the FutureNHS platform (free login required)

All people who have had a stroke or TIA must be offered the COVID-19 vaccine in priority group 6

The Stroke Association colleagues have advised that they are seeing a prevalence of calls to their helpline from stroke survivors who are being told different eligibility criteria for the COVID-19 vaccine by their doctors and in some instances, are not being offered the vaccine as a result.

Webinars and Bulletins

  • Recordings of the regular national webinars on the Covid vaccination programme are available on FutureLearn PCN page (https://future.nhs.uk/P_C_N/ – registration required). This page has several national resources collated in one place.
  • Please see the MHRA CAS Alert from 31st December 2020 outlining the public health rationale for changes to the dosing schedule
  • Operational guidance for vaccination frontline health and social care workers (Updated 26th January 2021)
  • Barts Health NHS Trust staff have produced videos outlining six key messages on vaccines in 12 languages

Training and Information for Vaccinators

  • Training recommendations for COVID-19 vaccinators are available on the PHE website (Updated 8th December 2020). The SEL Training Hubs Collaborative has produced a one page summary of the comprehensive training available and recommended for those involved in delivering the Covid-19 Vaccination programme. Healthy London Partnership provided a handy detailed breakdown (Updated 21st December 2020) of the PCN Covid-19 vaccinator roles and training required for those roles. Updated webinar dates can be found here (3rd February 2021)
  • Top tips from NHS England on communicating with people with a learning disability and autistic people and highlight the range of reasonable adjustments that should be considered to ensure that a vaccination appointment goes well.
  • Guidance for Health Care Workers can be found here including contraindications and special considerations. Provisional guidance on the COVID-19 vaccine is also available in chapter 14a of the Green Book.
  • Co-administering the flu and COVID vaccines During national lockdown, it remains very important that people continue to access essential services including vaccinations for babies, children and pregnant women as they are time critical and prevents serious illness and outbreaks. Please continue your efforts to invite and vaccinate as per the routine immunisation schedule. To use appointments efficiently, for adults who have not yet had their flu vaccination and are currently eligible for COVID vaccination, scheduling for both vaccinations to occur at the same visit is acceptable, as per the green book.
  • Product Information is available on the MHRA Yellow Card website.
  • Londonwide LMCs have issued guidance for GP practices (Updated 16th February 2021). BMA Guidance is also available (Updated 16th February 2021)
  • Anaphylaxis: There is not a requirement for 15 minutes observation after administering the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine unless this is indicated after clinical assessment. The MHRA guidance about the use of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine in those with a history of anaphylaxis – and the 15 minute post-vaccination observation period for all patients – remain in place. Note also that patients should not drive nor operate machinery for 15 minutes after being vaccinated with either vaccine.
  • SEL CCG Covid vaccine advice to GP practices for individuals with previous allergic reactions’, here. When a patient attends either a community vaccine site e.g. Pharmacy or a GP hub for their COVID vaccination, the green book must be consulted in regards to allergy advice. If there are clear contraindications against the green book guidance then please use Advice and Guidance on e-RS, selecting the allergy service at Guys Hospital. If you are at a vaccine hub please refer the patient back to their GP in order to do this. The allergy service will reply via e-RS within 24 hours (Monday-Friday) with the next steps. Please do not email us or ask your patients to email us directly as we will be unable to deal with requests outside of e-RS. If we need to see the patient we would then ask the requestor to make a referral so that we can see the patient in clinic for further investigations.
  • Communication: A practical guide to improving vaccine communication and fighting misinformation

Important Information for Practices

  • Pathway for patients offered Covid vaccinations in Primary Care. A pathway has been agreed across South East London (NEW 8th March 2021) for engaging with patients who do not respond to the offer for Covid vaccinations, and those who decline vaccination.
  • Information Pack on Vaccinations for Social Prescribing Link Workers developed by the Healthy London Partnership to support Social Prescribing Link Workers when talking to those showing signs of vaccination hesitancy.
  • Please note patients added to the Shielded Patient List (including those that were added as part of the QCovid Population Risk Assessment in the week commencing 15th February) are now in Group 4 for Covid vaccination and so should be booked for a Covid vaccination as soon as possible.
  • COVID-19 vaccinations and participation in research and surveillance studies Patients participating in research and surveillance studies should not be prevented from receiving the COVID vaccine if they are eligible. These studies do involve regular asymptomatic testing for COVID-19, so if a study participant is awaiting a result from such a test they can still be vaccinated and should notbe told to wait until the result comes back. These studies will be used to support vaccine surveillance in the UK and as such it is vital that participants can access the vaccine the same as anyone else. A list of the main COVID-19 surveillance studies is available on the Department of Health and Social Care website.
  • GSTT’s Community LD Nurses have created a toolkit including a conversation tool to aide consent process, information for supporters regarding needle phobia and collated easy-read information about the vaccines in both leaflet and presentation format. This can be located in the learning disabilities section, but may well have a broader benefit to staff and patients (added 1 February 2021).

Information for PCN sites

  • A letter to PCN sites beginning Covid vaccination programme on 14th December, with information to support standing up vaccination services can be found here (updated 7th December 2020). The national standard operation procedures can be found here. Updated Enhanced Service Specification can be found here.
  • A letter to PCN sites regarding next steps for 8th and 15th March 2021 can be found here.
  • SEL CCG Covid vaccine advice to LVS centres & GP practices for individuals with previous allergic reactions’, here.
  • SE London Policies and Standing Operating procedures can be found here and have been ratified by the SE London Medicines Optimisation Sub-Committee.
  • Communications kit for practices and PCNs with information on how to answer patient queries regarding vaccination
  • Waste management SOP for local vaccination services (January 2021)
  • Patient Group Directions: COVID-19 Vaccination PGD’ and is available here (updated 6th January 2021)
  • Covid-19 Vaccination Paper Record Form if neeeded.
  • Key Contacts for Covid Vaccination Site A document collating contact details for vaccine supply & delivery, consumables supply, IT services and other queries can be found here.
  • Ordering printed materials for Covid-19 vaccination sites: PHE has published a guide to leaflets and consent forms for the Covid-19 vaccination programme which can be ordered from here and found online here
  • Covid-19 vaccination programme and hepatitis B A link to a Public Health England briefing note (27th November), providing advice for occupation health providers on hepatitis B immunisation in allied healthcare workers involved in the Covid-19 vaccination programme.