Huge new Covid mass vaccination centre opens today at Milton Keynes

The centre at Saxon Court, the council's old housing offices at the junction of Saxon Gate and Avebury Boulevard, has the single aim of getting as many people as possible vaccinated as quickly as possible.

It will be capable of delivering so many vaccines each day that the stewards from MK Dons football club will be marshalling the queues to ensure social distancing takes place.

As a council spokesman quipped: "Vacs day is more like a match day!"

Milton Keynes residents aged 70 and over are amongst those being invited to book a jab at the new centre.

People should only attend for a vaccination at Saxon Court if they have received a letter and have already booked an appointment.

People aged 70 and over are being invited to book a vaccination at these centres. If someone cannot or does not want to travel to a vaccination centre, they can still wait to have their vaccination at a local GP service or hospital hub.

Health and social care staff working nearby will also be able to receive their vaccination at Saxon Court.

The centre is being run by Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust (HCT) working with Bedfordshire Luton and Milton Keynes (BLMK) partners, drawing on its proven track record of delivering local vaccination programmes in the East of England.

The BLMK and HCT team has set the centre up with the support of Milton Keynes Council, the Thames Valley Local Resilience Forum and local volunteers.

Everybody is asked to arrive just before the time of their appointment to avoid the need to wait to be seen and to help maintain social distancing.

MK Council Leader, Pete Marland said: “In Milton Keynes we already work very closely with our health partners, so there was no doubt about offering Saxon Court as a venue for a mass vaccination centre. We want to get as many local people vaccinated as quickly as possible. NHS staff are doing an incredible job rolling out the largest vaccination programme in history and we’re proud to be able to accelerate this and protect more residents. This is a big step forward.”

He added: “Lots of staff have been working behind the scenes to make this happen in relatively a short space of time. I’d like to thank them and also thank First Base, who we’ve recently sold Saxon Court to, for being so flexible over arrangements.”

Dr Sarah Whiteman, the Medical Director and putative Chair of Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes CCGs said: “We have been working hard with our partner organisations in the lead up to opening the centre today. We can now welcome local people in the prioritised age groups with confirmed appointments to receive their vaccine, along with health and social care workers from across our area.

"This represents another step forward in helping to beat the Covid-19 pandemic. My sincere thanks go to everyone, volunteers, partners and NHS staff who have worked around the clock to deliver this programme.”

Saxon Court was MK Council's former housing offices but was Saxon Court but sold off by the council to developers just four months ago.

But now the new owners agreed to 'give back' the huge facility so it could help save lives and give immunisation to tens of thousands of local people.

National developers First Base and Patron Capital bought Saxon Court for £15m in October last year.They plan to build new homes, workspace, homes, local independent retail outlets and community space that will bring almost £200m to the local economy.

Marc Corbett, project director for First Base, told the Citizen: “We’re very proud to be supporting Milton Keynes Council and the NHS as they undertake this significant and important task. We have agreed to work closely with the Council and the NHS, and be as flexible as possible, to support this historic and potentially lifesaving vaccine roll-out in Milton Keynes."

He added: “Saxon Court sits at the heart of Milton Keynes and we are pleased that the building will continue to play a pivotal role in the city’s recovery and renewal.”

The developers will continue with their plans when the building has served its purpose as a vaccine centre. But they say the benefits to the community will continue for decades to come.

Their plans include a 27 storey high complex with around 250 build-to-rent homes, flexible workspaces, a gym, local independent food, drink and shopping outlets.