What to do when you attend your vaccination appointment
COVID-19 vaccines rollout
NHS Fife are closely following guidelines by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) as well as Scottish and UK Governments regarding vaccination groups, starting with those whose lives are most at risk from the virus. A robust booking system is in place and people will be contacted directly to invite them to attend for a vaccination.
The following cohorts and timescales are currently being planned for vaccination completion in line with other health boards following a directive from Scottish Government. Please note that you will receive a letter inviting you for your appointment. You should not attempt to contact us.
- As of 1st February, GP practices across Fife will proactively begin to contact their housebound patients to arrange vaccination by a member of the nursing team.
- The vast majority of care home residents and staff have been offered the vaccine. The team continue to visit care homes and will offer second doses in due course.
- Those aged 65 to 79, and the clinically extremely vulnerable, will be invited to attend for vaccination by mid-February. If you are in this group and haven't yet received a letter, please contact the national helpline.
- The next cohorts to be invited for vaccination will be those at high risk aged 16-64 and unpaid carers*
*This group also includes those who are in receipt of a carer’s allowance, or those who are the main carer of an elderly or disabled person whose welfare may be at risk if the carer falls ill.
Housebound patients vaccination programme
As of 1st February, GP practices across Fife will proactively begin to contact their housebound patients to arrange vaccination by a member of the nursing team. We would kindly ask for people to be patient while GPs work through their patient lists.
NHS Fife does not retain a list of housebound residents and this data is held at an individual GP practice level. Please be assured that all housebound people will have the opportunity to be vaccinated, but this will be done in order following guidelines issued by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) as well as Scottish and UK Government regarding prioritisation of vaccination cohorts, by starting with the over 80s.
Further information on NHS Inform
Helpline: National COVID-19 Vaccination Helpline on 0800 030 8013
Available 8am – 8pm 7 days a week
Information in other accessible formats:
COVID-19 vaccine leaflets in translated and accessible formats are available on our Accessible Information page.
Second appointment dates
Letters confirming second appointment dates will be sent following attendance at the clinic for your first vaccine and well in advance of the second appointment date. The trigger for generation of the second appointment is your attendance at the clinic. Appointments are then arranged by the national scheduling team and are not made locally.
Over 80s group
Note that the over 80s group follow a different process due to their vaccinations taking place in GP Practices.
COVID-19 vaccine background
Vaccines have saved more lives than any other medicines, and the new COVID-19 vaccine will ensure that we can now protect the most vulnerable and through time help us all get back to normal.
COVID-19 vaccines are being made available to priority groups across Fife in phased approach, ensuring those at greatest risk from the virus are vaccinated first. This is being done in line with JCVI guidance.
The first vaccine to be offered in Fife was the Pfizer/BioNtech vaccine, this was approved by the UK Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and is being used to vaccinate frontline health and social care workers and those working in care homes and care home residents. The second vaccine to be approved was the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine. This is being used in GP practices to vaccinate the over 80s and will be used, along with the Pfizer/BioNtech vaccine, for vaccinations in Community Vaccination Centres across Fife. Regardless of which vaccine is used, people will receive the same product for both their doses.
It is vital that we do not become complacent and continue to adhere to local lockdown restrictions and follow the FACTS
NHS Inform
NHS Inform has created a useful online resource about the Covid-19 vaccine:
www.nhsinform.scot/healthy-living/immunisation/vaccines/coronavirus-covid-19-vaccine
This site includes information on;
- Who will be offered the vaccine
- When and where the vaccine will be offered
This site also includes a range of COVID-19 vaccine leaflets about the vaccine.
COVID-19 vaccine leaflets in translated and accessible formats are available on our Accessible Infomation page.
How to rearrange or opt-out of your vaccination appointment
If you need to rearrange your COVID-19 vaccination appointment information on how to do so is available at this link.
You can also phone the COVID-19 Vaccination Helpline on 0800 030 8013 to rearrange your appointment.
Frontline workers
NHS Fife are implementing a nationally directed vaccination programme and are closely following guidelines by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) as well as Scottish and UK Governments regarding vaccination cohorts. Guidance on frontline staff eligibility has been defined by the JCVI and includes the following groups,
Staff involved in direct patient care
This includes staff who have frequent face-to-face clinical contact with patients and who are directly involved in patient care in either secondary or primary care/community settings. This includes doctors, dentists, midwives and nurses, paramedics and ambulance drivers, pharmacists, optometrists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists and radiographers. It should also include those working in independent, voluntary and non-standard healthcare settings such as hospices, and community-based mental health or addiction services. Temporary staff, including those working in the Covid-19 vaccination programme, students, trainees and volunteers who are working with patients must also be included.
Non-clinical staff in secondary or primary care/community healthcare settings
This includes non-clinical ancillary staff who may have social contact with patients but are not directly involved in patient care. This group includes receptionists, ward clerks, porters and cleaners.
Laboratory and pathology staff
Hospital-based laboratory and mortuary staff who frequently handle SARS-CoV-2 or collect or handle potentially infected specimens, including respiratory, gastrointestinal and blood specimens should be eligible as they may also have social contact with patients. This may also include cleaners, porters, secretaries and receptionists in laboratories. Frontline funeral operatives and mortuary technicians / embalmers are both at risk of exposure and likely to spend a considerable amount of time in care homes and hospital settings where they may also expose multiple patients.
Frontline social care workers
This would include:
Those working in long-stay residential and nursing care homes or other long-stay care facilities where rapid spread is likely to follow introduction of infection and cause high morbidity and mortality
Social care staff directly involved in the care of their patients or clients
Others involved directly in delivering social care such that they and vulnerable patients/ clients are at increased risk of exposure
Healthcare workers
A leaflet about the coronavirus vaccination programme for frontline healthcare workers.
Social care workers
A leaflet about the coronavirus vaccination programme for frontline social care workers.
What to expect
A leaflet explaining what to expect after your coronavirus vaccination.
Other groups
Pregnant women and women of child bearing age
The vaccine has not yet been assessed in pregnancy, for more coronavirus vaccine advice if you're pregnant, may get pregnant or are breastfeeding
Pregnant Women and women of child bearing age advice leaflet
Children and young people
Vaccinations for private practitioners
At this time, in line with the JCVI priorities guidance, we are inviting all frontline health and social care staff – including care at home staff - to book an appointment for vaccination. The Scottish Government has reached out to these independent staff groups with a letter providing information how staff can book an appointment. However, if they have not received the letter please advise the healthcare provider to contact the health board.
Vaccinations for over 80s
Those aged over 80 who live in a care home have been vaccinated in that setting – in instances where an individual has not been vaccinated thus far, (for example if they were COVID positive or not in the care home at that time) our teams are continuing to visit care homes to ensure all are offered a vaccination.
Those aged over 80 in the community are being vaccinated by GP practices.
Vaccinations for long-stay inpatients
Long-stay inpatients, are being vaccinated on site in hospitals across Fife, in line with JCVI guidance. Shorter stay inpatients, aged over 80 will be vaccinated by their GP after their discharge. Those aged under 80 will be vaccinated in the community in line with JCVI guidance after they are discharged.
Vaccinations for people on the shielding list
Vaccination invitations for those identified as clinical extremely vulnerable will be given by mid-February. The second dose of the vaccine will be given up to 12 weeks later.
Unpaid carers vaccination programme update
Timescales for carers and others to receive the vaccine will become clearer as we know more about vaccine supply and appointment scheduling.
The Scottish Government will seek to write out to as many carers as possible to inform them of their eligibility for the vaccine but we recognise this will not reach everyone who needs it so this will be supplemented by wider public messaging and other forms of communications.
Unpaid carers also includes those who are in receipt of a carer’s allowance, or those who are the main carer of an elderly or disabled person whose welfare may be at risk if the carer falls ill.
Unpaid carers may wish to keep in touch with their local carer centre for up-to-date information on timings for these vaccinations. Find details of your local carer centre.
At Care Information Scotland's website or for further information, see the NHS Inform coronavirus vaccine web-page
If you have any enquiries about the COVID-19 vaccine, you can contact the Coronavirus Vaccination Helpline on 0800 030 8013 (available 8am - 8pm all week).
Making alternative arrangements for vaccination
If you require to make alternative arrangements for your vaccination or to rearrange your appointment, please call the COVID-19 Vaccinations Helpline on 0800 030 8013 . It is open every day between 8am and 8pm.
Getting to vaccination appointments
For those who do not have their own transport or support networks, we are advising that they contact the National Assistance Helpline on 0800 111 400 (Monday to Friday - office hours) to arrange transport to get to their vaccination appointment.
Any local transport arrangements will need to be COVID-safe for both the drivers and the people they are providing transport for. Where it is necessary to drive someone to their appointment, we advise:
- Using a car or vehicle that is as large as possible, preferably a minibus or vehicle that allows 2m physical distancing, or a car with a bulkhead or partition
- Occupants should sit as far apart as possible, ideally the passenger should sit diagonally opposite the driver.
- Windows in the car must be opened as far as possible taking account of weather conditions to maximise the ventilation in the space.
- Occupants in the car, including the driver, should wear a facemask
- Occupants should perform hand hygiene using an alcohol based hand rub before entering the vehicle and again on leaving the vehicle.
- Wiping down and cleaning the vehicle
- Making sure vehicles are equipped with cleaning product, waste disposal bags, and hand gel to wipe down and clean the vehicle
- Occupants should avoid eating in the vehicle
- Keep the volume of any music/radio being played to a minimum/ off to prevent the need to raise voices in the car
Over 65s and Clinically Extremely Vulnerable - Vaccination letters
We are aware there are a small number of people in eligible cohorts who are yet to receive their letter. This has happened for a variety of reasons, including the date they were added to a cohort, recent temporary residency, or a simple lost letter.
Anyone within these categories who has not received a letter, or who has lost their letter, can arrange an appointment by providing some details.
Vaccine deployment plan
Plan setting out how the Scottish Government will roll out vaccinations in Scotland to vaccinate 4.5 million people.
Data on vaccinations in Scotland
The data for the numbers of people who have had the first dose of the vaccine will be published weekly and this will be broken down by; age group, NHS Board, sex, and eligibility criteria (whether the person receiving the vaccine was a Healthcare worker, a member of staff in a care home, a resident in a care home, social care worker).
This data will be updated every week and will be published within the Statistical report on a Wednesday at noon, on the Public Health Scotland website.
Community COVID-19 vaccination clinic locations
Our community vaccination clinics listed below will open on a phased basis, with the first site offering appointments on 01 February 2021.
Please note that these clinics are run by appointment only. Please do not contact the venue direct. If you attend without an appointment you will be send home.
Cupar Corn Exchange
St Catherine Street
Cupar
KY15 4BT
Directions
Dunfermline East Church
Nightingale Place
Dunfermline
KY11 8LW
Directions
Dunfermline East End Park Stadium
Halbeath Road
Dunfermline
KY12 7RB
Directions
East Neuk Centre
Ladywalk
Anstruther
KY10 3EX
Directions
The Larick Centre (Part time)
Shanwell Road
Tayport
DD6 9EA
Directions
Lochgelly Centre
Bank Street
Lochgelly
KY5 9RD
Directions
Parkgate Community Centre
23 Parkgate
Rosyth
KY11 2JW
Directions
Rothes Halls
Rothes Square
Glenrothes
KY7 5NX
Directions
St Andrews Community Hospital
Largo Road
St Andrews
KY16 8AR
Directions
Templehall Community Centre
Beauly Place
Kirkcaldy
KY2 6EX
Directions
Randolph Wemyss Memorial Hospital
(Wellesley Unit)
Wellesley Road
Buckhaven
KY8 1HU
Directions
Tayside Institute
(Part time)
90-92
High St
Newburgh
KY14 6DA
Directions
Equality Impact Assessment
NHS Fife has a legal duty to advance equality as set out it the Equality Act 2010; the Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA) helps us to do this. The EQIA is a toolkit to help us work through this process. Staff members are required to consider positive or negative impact of all strategies and policies. The legislation also requires that NHS Fife report on the EQIA findings. You can find our EQIAs on our Equality Impact Assessment page.