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Partnership between fire service and NHS recognised for vaccine rollout

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The exemplary partnership working between Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service (GFRS) and the NHS in delivering a record number of Covid vaccines to people in the county has been recognised.

A staggering 327,822 Covid vaccines were given at Cheltenham East Fire Station, helping the county to be top in England for the total number of vaccinations delivered – more than 1.8 million.

To recognise the great achievement, Sarah Gallagher, Advanced Nurse Practitioner and Gloucestershire Vaccine Programme Clinical Lead, was invited to a reception at 10 Downing Street on Tuesday 4 July.

Sarah Gallagher said: “Our success is testament to our incredible teams who worked tirelessly for more than two years to deliver more than 1,800,000 vaccines to our population. It was a truly collaborative effort and we couldn’t have done it without the support of our volunteers and partners in the community sector, in particular Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service who not only let us use their stations but also helped us set up each and every clinic. We are extremely thankful to them all.”

Mark Preece, Chief Fire Officer at Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service, said: “The number of Covid vaccines delivered at Cheltenham East Community Fire Station is remarkable and a great example of collaborative working across the health sector and GFRS over the last three years.

“I’d like to congratulate Sarah and her team on their fantastic efforts being recognised and I’d also like to thank our GFRS teams for maintaining this strong link between our organisations and ensuring everyone who has received their vaccination at the station has been made welcome.”

Cllr Dave Norman, cabinet member with responsibility for Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service, said: “The strong partnership working between the NHS and Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service played a key role in delivering this incredible number of vaccinations, not least at Cheltenham East Community Fire Station. This has undoubtedly saved many lives in Gloucestershire, earning deserved recognition from Downing Street, and I would like to thank everyone involved in the campaign for their efforts.”