Private company helps run Milton Keynes Hospital's vaccination hub to enable NHS staff to return to caring for patients

MK-based ECG is working in partnership with Milton Keynes University Hospital to provide clinical staff to help run the hub, ensuring frontline NHS staff can focus on the medical care of patients.

ECG were initially contracted in December to provide some clinical staff to work alongside the hospital staff in the vaccination hub. However, the rapid and significant increase in Covid-19 patients in January meant that the hospital staff were needed back on the wards.

ECG stepped in to run the vaccination hub and now provide nine vaccinators a day to enable the hospital staff to to return to looking after the patients being admitted into the hospital.

The vaccination hub also requires a clinical lead each day, which has been either been the pharmacy lead or the senior nurse. As CEO of ECG, Jane Lambert is a registered senior nurse and has stepped into that role whenever possible to provide support.

Jane said: “As a former MKUH nurse myself, I wanted to do whatever I could via ECG to support the NHS in the national roll out of COVID-19 vaccinations.

"MKUH had to set up the vaccination hub at the same time as hospital admissions for Covid escalated dramatically, putting huge demand on the hospital and their staff. We were able to provide the trained staff they needed to deliver the vaccinations whilst freeing up NHS staff to focus on the critical care of COVID-19 patients."

“ECG has worked with MKUH since I set it up in 2002 providing them with both resuscitation and moving and handling training for their staff. We also support MK Hospital Charity as our charity for the past 4 years, particularly helping to raise money for their brand new cancer care centre. MKUH is close to my heart and I am genuinely humbled that ECG have been able to support them in delivering such a vital service to the local community.”

Hospital chief executive Professor Joe Harrison said: “The response to Covid-19 in Milton Keynes has been a real team effort, with NHS organisations working with Milton Keynes Council and local businesses to ensure we put the health and wellbeing of local people first.

“The support of ECG has been vital to the vaccination centre, enabling us to deliver well over 18,000 vaccines to local people and health and care staff whilst also maintaining the right numbers of staff to provide excellent care to our patients at a very challenging time for our hospital.”