Inglewood In The Covid-19 Vaccination Vanguard

Inglewood Nursing Home has played a key part in the roll-out of the Covid-19 vaccination programme among care homes in East Sussex. Residents and staff at the Eastbourne-based home have received their first vaccinations, with the second due early next month.

Home manager Gail Watkins, her deputy Rani Raju and the home’s administration team were praised by the GP Federation’s team for completing the consent processes so quickly and smoothly before the vaccination was given to the home’s residents and their conduct during the process. The vaccination team also said that the experience at Inglewood helped them to learn more about how best to roll out the vaccinations across the county’s other care homes.

One member of the team described the care home staff as “well organised, proactive and knew the residents inside out”, and showing “exemplary” compassion and tenderness.

Inglewood’s sister home, Ashridge Court Care Centre in nearby Bexhill-on-Sea, has also received its first dose while residents and staff in the other nine homes across Kent, Essex and Middlesex will all have received their first vaccinations by the end of this week.

Gail said: “We are very grateful to the vaccination team for their kindness and efficiency during the process.

“Our staff have worked very hard to keep residents safe during the pandemic, but knowing that our residents are vaccinated is a huge boost to everyone’s morale. We’re determined not to become complacent, though. For us, the vaccine is just another – albeit vitally important – tool in the fight against Covid-19, alongside PPE, social distancing and our strict hygiene and infection control measures. We believe that these will all still be necessary for some time, although we cannot wait for the time when we can welcome visitors safely back to our home!”