A joint pilot scheme between the NHS and Hampshire County Council saw almost 1,000 COVID-19 vaccinations and more than 300 blood pressure checks delivered in a mobile health van which travelled across the county.
The health van, which launched in April for a 19-week period, was on the road to help deliver both COVID-19 vaccines and share public health messaging and checks to some of our communities who may not find accessing healthcare easy.
The health van, run by NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight, and funded and supported by Hampshire County Council, travelled to different parts of the county so that people could access health care without having to make an appointment.
During the pilot, COVID-19 vaccinations were delivered, from April to the end of June, during the national COVID--19 vaccination spring campaign. The health van then continued visiting different parts of the county until the end of August to deliver health checks and other prevention-focused health services.
Dr Matt Nisbet, GP and Clinical Lead for the NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight COVID-19 Vaccination Programme, said: “It was great to see we were able to deliver hundreds of COVID-19 vaccinations to people much closer to their homes, making it easier for them to access healthcare.
“For lots of different reasons, we recognise it may not always be easy for people to get to a GP practice or to a community pharmacy, not just for vaccinations but also for support and information on a range of topics such as blood pressure checks, healthy weight and menopause support.
“People were also offered longer appointment times, which meant there was more time to talk to people about any concerns or questions they had.
“Now that this pilot scheme has ended, we can review what worked well and see what we can adopt into our plans for the autumn and winter vaccination campaign that will be starting soon for eligible cohorts.”
In addition to vaccinations, 324 blood pressure checks were carried out on the vehicle, 62 people took advice on healthy eating and weight management, and 271 people were signposted to different services.
In total, 276 people shared their feedback about the service with:
- 100% saying they would use the service again
- 99% rating the service five (out of five) stars
- 66% visiting the vehicle for their COVID-19 vaccine due to the convenient location, compared with 86% who ultimately had their COVID-19 vaccine on-board.
Councillor Liz Fairhurst, Hampshire County Council’s Cabinet Lead Member for Adult Services and Public Health, said: “The roving van project has brought essential health services directly to many residents, making it quick and easy for those who might otherwise struggle to access them. We want as many people as possible to receive vital vaccinations when they’re eligible for them and to have all-important health checks at the right time – and offering these services in the heart of the community in this way has been very well received by local people.”