YORK’S vaccination centre is “leaving no stone unturned” as it bids to ensure everyone gets the jab, including people with learning difficulties or eating disorders, or who are homeless.

A special vaccination clinic is opening this week inside the complex at Askham Bar for adults with learning disabilities, offering lower numbers, longer appointment times, more staff and more space to make it as easy and welcoming as possible.

Medics are also arranging to vaccinate inpatients with eating disorders at York’s Schoen Clinic and have been going out to people in independent living accommodation, and looking at ways to vaccinate the homeless.

The developments are revealed in the latest weekly column in The Press by Professor Mike Holmes, who leads the centre on the former Askham Bar Park&Ride site off Tadcaster Road, dubbed the 'tent of hope'.

He writes: “As we work through the priority groups, we’re learning that some people are less likely to take up their vaccine offer. I would like to urge the people of York to reach out and help anyone who they know is hesitant and see how you can help them.

“So we’re trying to leave no stone unturned – everyone must get the chance to have their vaccination. It’s really important that we try to reach out to everyone, no matter what their circumstance.”

Prof Holmes said more than 12,000 patients had been vaccinated in a week as medics began vaccinating people over 60 and it was going to get even busier as they got stuck into more second vaccinations and vaccinating over 55-year-olds.

He said staff were realising not everyone was registered with a GP, with some perhaps having moved house and not had time to register locally, and this meant they wouldn’t get their invite for a jab from their local GP. “Make sure you and your family have the protection of your local GP practice by registering as a patient as soon as you can,” he said.

He added that six full time members of the Fire & Rescue Service had been seconded to the centre, making a valuable addition to the team.