SLT’s sub-role a shot in the arm for region

The
Black Country-based charity (which
runs nine leisure facilities for Sandwell Council across the borough) part
converted two of its sites to approved vaccination centres at the start of the
pandemic - Portway Lifestyle Centre in Oldbury and Tipton Sports Academy – and just
between them they have delivered in excess of 160,000 of the *400,000+ jabs
administered across Sandwell to date.
Dr Lisa McNally, Sandwell’s Director of Public
Health, said: “We are so grateful to the staff of Sandwell Leisure Trust for
the role they’ve played in rolling out vaccination in our area. From the
provision of vaccination venues, right through to the staff members’
encouragement to local people to get their jabs, SLT have been instrumental in
maximising vaccination uptake. Through this work, there’s no doubt that
lives have been saved.”
Ash
Rai, Chief Executive for Sandwell Leisure Trust, added: “We’re so proud to be
able to offer our unflinching support for this far reaching, local vaccination
programme. Portway Lifestyle Centre and Tipton Sports Academy were chosen
because of their size and accessible location, plus our teams there have worked tirelessly and hand-in- hand
with local NHS and Public Health staff to significantly contribute to Sandwell’s
success rate.”
“I’d also like to
say a special thank you to our customers, clubs
and partners, who have all been so understanding and patient with the
disruption in services whilst we have been supporting the so important fight
against Covid.”
Sandwell’s completion rate has been much better
than expected, and in some age groups a lot higher than the national average.
This is also true of black, Asian and minority ethnic groups, which traditionally
have lower vaccination uptake rates.
Indeed,
Sandwell MBC has just won a local
government public health award for its Covid vaccination programme, which
heralds the finest examples of innovation and quality delivered by
councils.
*This
figure doesn’t include children or third booster jabs, which are ongoing.