Vaccinating Carers across Berkshire West

The vaccination programme in Berkshire West has been gathering pace and is delivered through:

  • 12 GP Led Centres
  • 1 Pharmacy
  • 1 Mass Vaccination Centre at the Madejski Stadium, Reading

More information can be found on the Berkshire West Clinical Commissioning Group website.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisations (JCVI) developed a priority list based on people’s risk of hospitalisation and death from COVID-19. Carers are included in group 6 for vaccinations. This priority group is currently being vaccinated.

Unpaid carers eligible for the vaccine are those who are eligible for carer’s allowance, or those who are the sole or primary carer of an elderly or disabled person who is clinically extremely vulnerable as per the JCVI Cohort definitions Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation: advice on priority groups for COVID-19 vaccination, 30 December 2020 – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). This includes if you are caring for a child who is clinically extremely vulnerable.

You could be invited for your vaccination through several routes:

    • If your GP has a record of you being an unpaid carer, you will be contacted by your GP to book an appointment at a local vaccination centre
    • If you receive Carers Allowance or are eligible to receive it, you will receive letter from the NHS asking you to book through the National Booking System

The vaccination programme recognises that these two channels will not include all carers who are eligible and the CCG is currently working to identify unpaid carers who are not prioritised through these two routes. Then we can ensure letters are sent to all carers inviting them to book a vaccination, through the National Booking System.