Covid-19 vaccines begin at Black Country hospital
Covid-19 vaccinations are now under way at a Black Country hospital – as work continues to on their new £3 million emergency department.
The Dudley Group NHS Foundation's Russells Hall Hospital was recently named as a hospital hub for the coronavirus vaccination programme.
It began receiving supplies of the vaccine between Christmas and the New Year, with patients over the age of 80, including those with outpatient appointments, being prioritised – along with high-risk frontline staff.
Trust chief executive Diane Wake said: "We are delighted to be able to carry out vaccinations and are following the national guidance on priority groups. I am especially proud of the way staff have worked tirelessly, giving up days off, weekends and holiday, to get our vaccination centre up and running.
"We all believe that this will make a real difference in the fight against Covid, but need the public to play their part by continuing to follow all the measures in place, and remember hands, face and space. That remains our best defence at the moment."
It comes as new aerial photographs show the scale of work taking place to build the new Acute Medical Unit at the hospital. The new unit, once completed, will link with the emergency department and treat seriously unwell patients, helping to reduce winter pressures on health services.
Construction work is ongoing to complete the facility. The trust received £3 million from the Government for the project.
It is anticipated the site will open early this year.
Speaking at the time when the project was announced in August, Dudley Group chief executive Diane Wake said: “The build will be linked to our emergency department to provide combined assessment facilities and same day emergency assessment and care.”
“The assessments facilities in the hospital will relocate there freeing up more than 60 beds to help with winter pressure, the safe management of Covid-19 and the requirements for social distancing and segregation.”
