A DARLINGTON vaccination site which was the first of its kind to provide vaccines in the town will not offer anymore doses beyond July, it has been confirmed.

The vaccination centre at Feethams House will close for good once it has given all remaining second doses to those who have received their first at the site.

But the Darlington Primary Care Network, which runs the town centre site, has said remaining residents will still be offered the vaccine at two existing sites.

They are the Darlington Arena and Cockerton Pharmacy - which are both booked through the NHS national booking system.

Explaining the decision to close the site, the Tees Valley Clinical Commissioning Group said it had been "determined" following the introduction of further vaccination sites.

It said the Darlington PCN, which is run by a group of GP practices, also said it was "better placed" in prioritising the restoration of practice services to pre-Covid levels.

Dr Amanda Riley, Clinical Director of the Darlington Primary Care Network, explained that it had been focusing on vaccinating those over the age of 50 and those over 16 with certain underlying health conditions as originally intended.

She said that demand for vaccines in the top nine cohorts had since declined as it had worked its way through offering jabs to those eligible.

She said: "As per national guidance Darlington PCN has been focusing on the top nine cohorts.  The demand for vaccine has declined within these groups. 

"We would encourage anyone who is eligible to book an appointment via the National Booking System as soon as possible. 

"Darlington PCN will not continue to provide Covid vaccinations from cohort ten onwards. 

"These younger groups will be able to access a vaccination appointment at the Darlington Arena or Cockerton Pharmacy via the National Booking System as soon as their cohort is eligible. 

"There are currently appointments available on the National Booking System in Darlington."

Karen Hawkins, Director of Commissioning, Strategy and Delivery at the Tees Valley Clinical Commissioning Group, said: "Further to the announcement of the Covid-19 vaccination programme, the practices within Darlington Primary Care Network have been actively engaged and committed to the successful delivery of the vaccination programme to date.

"The PCN is dedicated to continuing to deliver a vaccination programme to those patients in cohorts one to nine, including second doses, in line with the original expectations of GP Practices in the delivery of the programme, expected to continue until June 2021.

"Since the announcement of additional requirements for the remainder of the population to be vaccinated (ages 18-49) PCNs were given the option to participate in this new element of the vaccination programme."

Dr Stewart Findlay, primary care director for the North East and North Cumbria Vaccination Programme, added: "All PCN's across the country were given the opportunity to continue providing the vaccine to younger age groups.

"Darlington was one of a small number of PCNs, across the North-East and North Cumbria, which chose not to continue with the vaccination programme to cohorts ten to twelve.

"As an Integrated Care System, we will continue to deliver the capacity required though community pharmacy sites and large vaccination centres across the region including the Northern Echo Arena, Darlington, the Riverside Stadium, Middlesbrough, the Arnison Centre, Durham, the Centre for Life, Newcastle, the Nightingale North East, Sunderland and Penrith Auction Mart Vaccination Centre, Cumbria."

To book an appointment via the NHS booking system - click here