Wembley COVID-19 Vaccination Centre launching next week

The NHS in NW London is opening its first large NHS Vaccination Centre next week in the fight against COVID-19 to vaccinate people aged 80 and over, along with health and care staff.

The large-scale site in Wembley is capable of delivering thousands of the life-saving jabs each week and offers a convenient alternative to GP-led and hospital services that are already set up across NW London.

Letters are being sent to people aged over 80 who live up to a 45 minute drive from the new centre, who have not already been vaccinated, inviting them to book an appointment either by phone or online through the national booking system.

People should wait until they receive their invite letter and should not call their GP but use the booking line, when their invite arrives. If an appointment has already been offered by the GP, please keep this appointment.

Pippa Nightingale, lead for the vaccination programme in NW London said: “I am incredibly proud of the hard work and dedication that has been put into getting this centre opened today. The NHS would not have done this without the support of the local authority, businesses and community, as well as the team from Network Homes whose building is being used for the centre.

“The borough of Brent has been one of the hardest hit by the pandemic and we are pleased that we are able to launch our first vaccination centre here.”

Councillor Neil Nerva, Brent’s Cabinet Member for Public Health, Culture and Leisure: “As the UK’s most diverse borough we were hit particularly hard in the first wave of the virus so I am really pleased that Brent has been chosen for one of the first new mass vaccination centres. I would like to thank all the amazing NHS staff, council workers and the army of volunteers who have helped to set up the site and will keep it running over the coming months. It's a huge relief that the vaccine is being offered to our most vulnerable residents and those who care for them."

Helen Evans, Chief Executive of Network Homes: “The vaccination programme offers the only way out of this terrible pandemic. I’m pleased that Network Homes has been able to assist this in a small way and our old office has been put to good use as a vaccination centre. I’m looking forward to many thousands of residents of Brent and the surrounding area receiving vital protection from covid-19 there.”

More Vaccination Centres will be launched in NW London in the coming weeks to increase the numbers of people who can be conveniently vaccinated each day.

The NHS vaccination programme, the biggest in the health service’s history, is being delivered as health service staff are treating record numbers of seriously ill patients with COVID, caused by rapidly rising infection numbers.

Please don’t contact the NHS to seek a vaccine, the NHS will contact you. When you are contacted, please attend your booked appointments. And whether you have had a vaccine or not, please continue to follow all the guidance to control the virus and save lives – that means staying at home as much as you can, and following the ‘hands, face, space’ guidance when you can’t.

Invites to book at the centres are being sent to people aged 80 or over who have not yet been vaccinated and live within a 45 minutes’ drive from the site, with more sites opening in the coming weeks.

The letters will explain how they can book a slot over the phone or online through the national booking service, and NHS leaders are urging people not to turn up at the centres or try to book without receiving them.

The new vaccination centres will each be capable of delivering thousands of vaccinations each week, scaling their operations up and down according to vaccine supplies and demand.

People who book in to a vaccine centre should note marshals will be on hand to help people to the right place. Bookings are staggered to allow social distancing and please don’t arrive until five minutes before your appointment time. Travel information will be available from Monday at www.tfl.gov.uk/jabs