Jab journey to superhubs back in the news in Cumbernauld and Kilsyth

NHS Lanarkshire has addressed complaints that people in Cumbernauld and Kilsyth have been having difficulty getting access to coronavirus vaccinations.
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Kilsyth Labour Councillor Heather Brannnan-McVey wrote to the health board to raise a number of concerns about the availability of the Muirfield Centre in Cumbernauld and Kilsyth’s Garrell Vale centre not having been reinstated as an option.

She said that assurances made at a meeting of Kilsyth Town Board on local vaccination options had not been kept, and that there were issues with family members being sent to different locations or to vaccination centres in East Kilbride , Coatbridge or Ravenscraig. Her letter also said people struggling to arrange appointments and approaching local elected members for assistance.

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In a response to Councillor Brannan-McVey, NHS Lanarkshire chief executive Heather Knox said: “We are aware that there have been a number of challenges which have arisen in your local area since we moved to two supercentres and seven local centres.

“I would like to apologise to local residents and reassure the local community that we are working closely with the national team, who generate the appointments, to find out why there are difficulties for people to re-book local centres, particularly the Muirfield Centre, and how this issue can be resolved as soon as possible.

“As with any new system there have been teething problems and we are meeting the national team regularly to resolve these as they arise. Myself and some of my senior team met with the national team manager yesterday to discuss the scheduling issues and potential solutions.

“We gave a commitment that those over 70 from the Cumbernauld and Kilsyth area would receive their second dose locally and appointments would be offered at Muirfield rather than one of the two supercentres, and we are doing everything we can to honour this commitment.

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“To try and support local residents while we work through this issue we have scheduled additional clinics at Muirfield and our vaccination team are happy to reschedule those affected into these clinics. For any upset or distress this situation has caused I would like to reiterate my sincere apologies.”

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