A VACCINE bus could be seen outside Southend’s supermarkets in a bid to encourage the BAME community to receive their Covid jab. Council bosses have refused to rule out a mobile vaccine bus coming to Southend, with supermarket car parks lined up as “stops” on a route around the town. Uptake rates among the BAME community are lower than the rest of the population in Southend, it has been revealed. This comes as a vaccine bus was rolled out this week in Ipswich, with the mobile jab unit targeting mosques, churches, and synagogues, as well as town centre locations.
Think NHS 111 eases pressures on A&E at Basildon Hospital
By Local Democracy Reporter
A CAMPAIGN urging people to dial 111 before turning up at A&E has been crucial in easing pressure on the NHS as the Covid pandemic continues, it was claimed.
The new scheme – branded Think NHS 111 First – was launched on December 1 by the Mid and South Essex Hospital Trust, which oversees Basildon and Southend hospitals.
As part of the initiative, patients are encouraged to call NHS 111 first if they are feeling unwell, allowing them to get swift help and advice.
Patients are then be assessed over the phone and told if they need to attend hospital.