ROUTINE GP services could be scaled back across Merseyside in order to deliver a COVID-19 vaccine as early as next month.

Documents circulated to GP surgeries in the region by the British Medical Association, and seen by the Local Democracy Reporter Service, suggest all routine appointments will be “deprioritised” in order to allow staff to administer a vaccine as quickly as possible.

This will involve priority being given to the COVID-19 vaccine, as well as flu vaccinations and urgent care, and could see staff redeployed to vaccination sites or individual GP surgeries being wholly dedicated to administering vaccines.

The documents also reveal the NHS is aiming to be ready to deliver a COVID-19 vaccine by December 1 should one be available, with vaccinations carried out at centralised sites.

The document said: “The intention is to prepare for a service to be delivered from 1 December, however the actual start date will depend on the availability of vaccines.

“Similarly, we expect vaccine availability to be limited to begin with, meaning only small numbers of vaccine may be given in December and most vaccinations taking place in early 2021, giving practices more time to prepare.”

The vaccine is likely to be delivered by primary care networks – groups of GP surgeries that serve between 30,000 and 50,000 patients – with each network nominating a centralised vaccination site.

There are 29 primary care networks in the Liverpool City Region, meaning there will be around 29 vaccination sites.

The document adds: “As vaccines become more widely available it is possible that more than one site could be possible within each grouping.

“Working together, practices will need to be prepared to offer vaccinations seven days a week so that the vaccine is delivered within its short shelf-life and so patients receive it as soon as possible. 

“Specifics around delivery of the service will depend on matching patient demand and vaccine availability.”

Practices will also be able to vaccinate their own staff and carry out home visits to patients who are unable to attend the centralised site.

It is currently expected that two doses of the vaccine will be required, with a gap of around three weeks between each dose.

High priority groups will be the first to receive any vaccine, including the elderly, health and social care staff and those at high risk due to other underlying conditions.

All this depends on the approval of a vaccine.

Although drug company Pfizer has announced trials show its vaccine to be 90 per cent effective, these are preliminary results and further testing is required before the vaccine can be declared safe and delivered to the public.