VACCINE UPDATE: NHS Highland adds more flu and Covid vaccine clinics for patients in Caithness

NHS Highland has acknowledged the difficulties people in Caithness have had getting their Covid booster and flu vaccines.

But the health board says it has fixed software issues with its phone line and moved more people onto the team to help answer calls.

A spokeswoman said: "We know patients have experienced difficulty in getting through to the Vaccination Hub. The software issues experienced at the beginning of this programme have been resolved and we are pleased to say that an appeal for more colleagues to assist the Hub Team has resulted in offers of support which will help us in operating these phone lines.

"We will roll out vaccination over the coming weeks, prioritising the over 70s, the clinically extremely vulnerable and the severely immunosuppressed and working through other eligible groups.

"A number of NHS Highland clinics have already been held in Caithness but we appreciate that not everyone was able to attend or book into the clinics. More clinics have been scheduled for the first two weeks of November for both Wick and Thurso."

In Caithness, NHS Highland will be delivering flu and Covid vaccination clinics for patients of Riverbank Surgery, Dunbeath Surgery, Lybster Medical Centre and Riverview Practice. Eligible patients with these practices will either be invited by letter or asked to call the NHS Highland Vaccination Hub.

Other Caithness practices are running their own clinics and they will get in touch with their patients directly.

Clinics for Riverbank patients will be held in Thurso on November 1, 2, 8 and 9. Clinics for Riverview patients will be held in Wick on November 4, 5, 11 and 12. These clinics are appointment only.

Patients who would like to attend the clinics in Thurso on November 1 and 2 are asked to phone the Vaccination Hub on 01463 705531. Patients wishing to attend clinics on the other dates will be contacted by letter.

For patients registered with the Dunbeath practice, a drop-in clinic is scheduled for Saturday, October 30, from 11am to 6pm at Dunbeath Community Hall.

Patients registered with Lybster Practice can attend a drop-in clinic on November 6, from 10am to 4pm at Lybster Community Hall. Dunbeath patients can also attend this clinic.

As these are drop-in there is no need for patients to book an appointment.

Further details on these clinics can be found on the NHS Highland website.

NHS Highland said it would continue to assess the demand for vaccination and, if required, schedule in more local clinics.

Do you want to respond to this article? If so, click here to submit your thoughts and they may be published in print.