Drop-in COVID-19 vaccinations available at The English Riviera Centre in Torquay on the following days:

Monday 19th July

Thursday 22nd July

Wednesday 28th July

Friday 30th July

The clincs are all 9 am to 4 pm 

General Practices in Torbay are offering the vaccine to people who:

• Are aged 18 or over and haven’t had their first dose.

• Received their first dose 8 or more weeks ago.

If you would like to attend, please note:

• Be aware that there are some booked appointments so you may need to wait
• Queues may form during times of high demand and we ask for you to be patient
• Check social media for the latest information e.g. if the service needs close early due to demand
• Dress appropriately for the weather and bring a drink with you
• Its advisable to eat before attending and to make sure you are hydrated

There is plenty of parking. 

General Practices in Torbay are offering a covid vaccine to anyone who:

• Is aged over 18 and who has not had their first dose

• Received their first dose of the Pfizer or Astra Zeneca vaccine on or before 10^th June 2021, and have yet to have their second dose

If you would like to attend, please note:

• Be aware that there are some booked appointments so you may need to wait
• Queues may form during times of high demand and we ask for you to be patient
• Check social media for the latest information e.g. if the service needs close early due to demand
• Dress appropriately for the weather and bring a drink with you
• Registration with a GP is not essential
• We do require a contact telephone number
• If you are attending for a 2^nd dose, it must have been at least 8 weeks since your first dose.

Please do not contact the surgery asking for a vaccine certificate, we do not have the capacity to provide these.  

Proof of your vaccination status will be available on the NHS app. In addition, you can use the app to order repeat medication and view test results.

The NHS APP can be downloaded from HERE for iPhone or HERE for android.   

Alternatively, you can call the NHS helpline on 119 and ask for a letter to be posted to you. This must be at least 5 days after you’ve completed your course of the vaccine, the letter may to take up to 5 days to reach you. 

To find out more about travelling abroad please see https://www.gov.uk/guidance/demonstrating-your-covid-19-vaccination-status-when-travelling-abroad.

We have now attempted to contact all our patients iAge 18 and over.  For those we were unable to reach by phone we have sent letters.

If you are aged 18 and over and we haven’t been able to reach you, or if you’ve previously declined and have now changed your mind and would like a vaccination, please call the practice after 11am and we can arrange as appointment for you.  Alternatively, if you have a mobile number you can email your details and number directly to chelston.hall@nhs.net.  We will then send you a text link to book in.
 
We are also working through the second dose vaccinations for all of our patients.  If you are due your second dose and have not received your text link to book it please call or email as above.

Please be patient when trying to contact us.  Practice staff are needed to work at the vaccine centre, placing additional pressures on resources at all of the practices. 

Thank you for your understanding and support at this time.

In order to be able to offer a more flexible booking process for the Covid-19 vaccination program, we are sending a text message to patients who have a mobile phone listed on their records. This page has some Frequently Asked Questions about this process.

Who does the text come from?

The text will come from “Chelston Hall Surgery” and will invite you by name.

How do we know the text is genuine?

The booking link includes “nhs.uk”. If you do receive a link you’re unsure about, please remember, we will never ask for your bank details or take payment for the vaccine.

I share a mobile number with my partner and children – how do I know who the invite is for?

The invite will say your name, but if there is more than one person with that name and the incorrect person tries to book, they will not be able to get through security. 

What if I can’t click the link, or don’t have internet access?

Please contact the surgery on 01803 605117, choosing option 3 for General Enquiries, alternatively email direct to chelston.hall@nhs.net.

Where are the clinics?

The clinics are at the Riviera International Conference Centre (RICC) in Torquay . When you book, you will get a confirmation text with the address details.

Do I need to wear a mask?

Yes, please wear a face covering if you are able to. If you have a medical exemption, please wear a face shield instead. This is for your protection, as well as other patients and staff on site.

What if I get a temperature, a cough or loss of taste or smell?

If you are currently isolating, please do not book an appointment yet, wait until you have a negative test result. If you develop symptoms after booking, you can cancel your appointment using the same link.

What if I’ve had Covid recently?

Current advice is not to have the vaccine if you’ve had a Covid positive test in the last four weeks. We will be contacting all our patients that have been invited and not booked an appointment. If you cancelled your appointment and would like to book again please call the surgery after 11AM.

What if there are no appointments when I click the link?

Please keep trying every day or two over the next week as new appointments will be added as we get new vaccines delivered.

What about my second vaccination?

You will be invited to book this at a later date.

What if I’ve booked through the National Booking Centre or a Local Pharmacy Service?

That’s fine – we are just pleased you are getting vaccinated! There is no need to tell us, we will get notified automatically.

Can my partner use my text link to book?

The link is only valid for the person it is sent to. Your partner will get a text of their own, or a telephone call, to book them in.

Is there parking on site?

Yes, there is a car park, and marshals to help keep traffic moving.

I need a carer to support me in accessing the appointment – am I allowed to bring them?

Yes, please ask them to wear a mask. 

I am a single parent and don’t have childcare for my children, can I bring them with me?

We encourage everyone to come on their own where possible for everyone’s safety. If this is not possible, you can bring your child(ren) with you, if they are able to wear a mask, please do get them to do so.

I have a question about side effects – who can I ask?

All the up to date information about the vaccines can be found HERE

I want to choose the vaccine I have – how do I know what is being given?

At the moment, we have been allocated both the Pfizer and the Astra Zeneca vaccines, and each clinic will have one or the other. We do not offer the choice of the vaccine. If there is a medical reason why you cannot have one of the vaccines, please ring the practice (after 11AM) to discuss.

I cannot get to the Vaccination Centres as I don’t drive – how can I get help?

Please see the below information on a couple of local volunteer organisations that might be able to assist you with transport:

KARING is a registered charity operating in the Preston district of Paignton, Devon providing transport run by volunteers. They can be contacted on 01803 524799. For the website click HERE

TORBAY Community Helpline is a community helpline, started initially for those affected by the Coronavirus Pandemic. Tel. 01803 446022 For the website click HERE

I am housebound and not able to get to the Riviera International Conference Centre (RICC) in Torquay – can I have the vaccine at home?

If you are genuinely housebound, please call the surgery to discuss.  Please note, if you are able to attend hospital appointments you will be advised to attend for the vaccination, we have limited resources in regards to housebound visits.

I’ve recently had the vaccination but still got a text invite, is this an error?

It can take a few days for the system to record your vaccination onto your medical record. As a result, you may receive an SMS invite following your vaccination appointment. If it is more than a few days since you had the vaccine, please contact us using the admin pathway on eConsult or e-mail us.

How can I be confident that my data is secure using this link?

The system we are using to offer these appointments is called “accuBook” which is run by “accuRx”. This is the same company we use to send text messages to our patients. accuBook is an NHS Digital assured appointment management solution, and more information on this service can be found by clicking HERE

If you want general advice regarding Coronavirus please go to :

https://www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/coronavirus-covid-19-uk-government-response