Wigan's NHS trust delivers its 10,000th Covid-19 vaccine

Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (WWL) reached the landmark this week in the fight to protect everyone against the deadly virus.

Melissa Walsh, clinical nurse manager at Marie Curie, was the 10,000th health and social care worker to receive the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccination at the trust.

She said: “I am delighted to be the 10,000th person to get the vaccine and the whole process from booking the slot, the warm welcome and organisation of the team and then having the vaccination has been amazing.

“I work with vulnerable people, so I wanted to have the vaccine to make sure I’m protected for me and them, as well as my family and friends.

“I can’t wait to get back to normal and give my family a hug, and my best friend, who just so happens to be my immuniser today!”

Gemma Hurst, non-medical prescribing lead and an immuniser for the trust's vaccination programme, said it was "so rewarding" to hit the figure.

She said: “I was really surprised to see my best friend Melissa turn up as the 10,000th person. I’ve not been able to see her for a while, so it was quite an emotional moment, even more so being able to vaccinate her and help to keep her safe.”

Richard Mundon, director of strategy and planning and lead director for the Vaccine programme at the trust, said: “It’s fantastic news to hear that the trust has now vaccinated 10,000 Health and Social Care staff across the borough, further helping to keep our staff, patients and public as safe as we possibly can.

“We received the call just before Christmas that our supplies would soon arrive, and since then a huge amount of preparation and coordination has been undertaken by staff across the organisation to ensure the safe and effective running of this mass vaccination programme.

“I am truly humbled by the enormous team effort shown to quickly and safely establish the vaccination programme without much notice, and to all those who have come forward to volunteer during one of the most challenging times we have ever faced.

“This team effort approach enabled the trust to be one of the first hospital hubs to deliver the vaccine across multiple sites, as well as having vaccinated over 540 of our most vulnerable staff on the first day of the programme.

"“Eight weeks later and we have now administered 10,000 vaccines, which is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our WWL family, and the fantastic efforts of both the vaccinators and the admin team, as well as all of the teams behind the scenes working together as part of the WWL vaccine project group."

He said he was "extremely grateful to the Armed Forces HQ for hosting the current stage of its vaccination programme.

He added: “To vaccinate so many people in such a short space of time is an incredible achievement, and the amount of lovely thank you messages we have received on the effective running of this service, and the care and compassion they have been shown during their vaccination, is further testament to how successful WWL’s programme has been.

“A massive thank you to all WWL staff and partner organisations across Wigan Borough, you have truly made the impossible, possible and given us the much needed hope that one day, together, we will beat this deadly virus.”

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