Region's Covid-19 vaccination programme transitions to community vaccination model

The Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire (BNSSG) Covid-19 Vaccination Programme will close its large-scale vaccination centre, the Vaccination Centre @ UWE Bristol, this week. The Programme will continue to offer first and second dose Covid-19 vaccinations at community vaccination clinics across our area in community settings, GP clinics and pharmacies – details of these local vaccination sites can be found at www.grabajab.net.

During Spring and Autumn Covid-19 booster campaigns, GPs, community pharmacies, Sirona Care & Health and hospital trusts will increase vaccination capacity with additional clinics.

The final vaccination clinic at the Vaccination Centre @ UWE Bristol will be on Friday 17 March 2023 from 10:00 until 14:00 and will offer first and second doses of the Covid vaccine. Over the past 12 months, our Vaccination Programme has been working with communities and our health system organisations to establish regular community vaccination sites across BNSSG in addition to GP and community pharmacy-run clinics. This has resulted in fewer people attending the large Vaccination Centre @ UWE Bristol in favour of clinics that are local to them. 

Anne Morris, Chief Nurse and Operational Lead for the BNSSG Covid-19 Vaccination Programme, said: “The closure of BNSSG’s large-scale vaccination centre is a positive milestone and part of the natural evolution of our Covid-19 Vaccination Programme. The community-based vaccination model we have in place makes the most of the strengths within our health system and makes it as easy as possible for people to get their Covid vaccinations. It also supports the important work of our vaccination outreach work with underserved communities.

“The closure of the Vaccination Centre @ UWE Bristol is only possible because of the hard work of numerous health and care colleagues across our system, as well as the overwhelming response from people in our area who have come forward for their Covid vaccinations when invited. I’d also like to say a huge ‘thank you’ on behalf of the NHS to the University of the West of England who have been supportive and flexible landlords over the past 18 months.

“Despite the success of the Covid Vaccination Programme, we cannot afford to be complacent about this virus. We continue offer first and second dose Covid-19 vaccinations at regular community vaccination clinics across our area for anyone who hasn’t been vaccinated and is now ready – you can find your nearest community vaccination clinic at www.grabajab.net. If you have been putting getting vaccinated, please don’t delay.”

Professor Steve West, Vice-Chancellor at UWE Bristol, said: “We are grateful to have been able to offer our facilities to support the NHS and the local community during such a challenging time. It is a source of great pride for our staff and students that our University hosted the region’s largest vaccination centre, which has given more than 270,000 vaccinations since opening.

“As a University community, we would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the dedicated NHS staff who have run the centre these past 18 months and helped limit the impact of the virus.”

• The Vaccination Centre @ UWE Bristol opened on 7 July 2021 to provide large scale vaccinations following the closure of the Mass Vaccination Centre at Ashton Gate Stadium.
• At its peak, during December 2021, more than 4,000 people a day were vaccinated at the Vaccination Centre @ UWE Bristol and the centre was open seven days a week.
• We have given over 273,000 Covid-19 vaccinations at the Vaccination Centre @ UWE Bristol complementing other vaccination clinics in our area run by GPs, pharmacies and Sirona care & health.
• The Vaccination Programme made use of the site by:
  • providing Extra Care Clinics for people who were worried about having their vaccination.
  • creating a dedicated Children’s Vaccination Hub at the site with themed areas to provide distraction and appeal to children.
  • becoming a vaccination training hub.
  • offering flu and Mpox vaccinations.
• The Vaccination Centre made use of the decommissioned NHS Nightingale Hospital Bristol facilities.