By NAViGO join fight against Covid-19 to vaccinate local people with mental health issues
Staff from leading mental health services provider NAViGO are dispatching a team of experienced mental health professionals to vaccinate people with severe mental illness (SMI) against Covid-19 across the borough.
Working alongside local GP practices, NAViGO will provide a series of special clinics and appointment slots, as well as visiting people in their own homes, to deliver the vaccinations.
NAViGO assistant director for acute mental health services Ellie Walsh said: “There are many barriers as to why someone with a severe mental illness may not have accessed their COVID-19 vaccination and need extra support.
“As a trained professional specialising in mental health, I know we can provide that extra support to the most vulnerable within our community.
“We have been privileged to receive our vaccines and I feel privileged to be able to deliver vaccinations. People with SMI often experience some of the worst health inequalities in the country and we want to ensure that this does not happen in relation to their access to the COVID-19 vaccine. No one should be left behind.”
A series of short videos on Covid-19 vaccination have been developed to support and encourage people with severe mental illness to get their vaccines.
Developed by Public Health England in collaboration with Equally Well UK and NHS England – including GP professionals and Expert by Experience – they provide useful information about what to expect from the vaccination process and how to prepare for an appointment.
Anyone with a SMI who would like to receive a COVID-19 vaccination either in a clinic or in their own home are urged to contact NAViGO directly on 01472 252366 or email y.wade@nhs.net.
