A vaccine hub is to be set up in Deal following a campaign to make jabs available in the town.

Deal and Dover MP Natalie Elphicke has announced that the GP-led centre will be at Balmoral Surgery in Canada Road, Walmer, and this has been confirmed on the website of Kent and Medway Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).

Earlier this month a petition was started by councillors and representatives of the elderly community after it was announced Dover Health Centre would be the only vaccine location for people in the district's three towns including large elderly populations in Deal and Sandwich.

Deal campaigners Cllr Susan Carlyle and voluntary worker Terry Bishop felt that travelling to Dover during a pandemic for most elderly members and shielders rules out the use of public transport.

They were backed by Dover town and district councillor Pam Brivio, secretary of Dover Senior Citizens Forum.

Together they composed a covering letter for the petition that said: "Many of us are not prepared to surrender all these months of careful prevention to go into potentially unsafe situations, however much we are desperate for the vaccination."

This call was followed a week later when the North Deal Community Company told health bosses they can use the group's Golf Road Centre.

Today Mrs Elphicke said: "After my determined effort with the vaccines minister and local health chiefs I am delighted that an extra new GP vaccination hub has been agreed for Deal at the Balmoral surgery and that the Dover District Vaccination Centre has already received thousands more vaccine doses this week - prioritised for over 80s in Dover and Deal as well as for care homes.

“My thanks to all GPs, local health professionals and pharmacies who are stepping forward to help accelerate the vaccination programme right across our area.

“I will continue to do everything I can to keep the vaccines flowing and ensure our community has the health protection and support it needs as quickly as it can be delivered.”

Details of when vaccines will start at Deal and figures of how many people the hub can accommodate have been requested from Kent and Medway CCG.

The group's website said: "Sandwich, Deal and Dover patients’ vaccinations are being delivered by the neighbouring Primary Care Network (called Total Health Excellence East) from the Dover Health Centre site.

"This means people don't have to travel in an unsafe situation using public transport or taxis ..."

"The PCN was in one of the later waves of vaccine sites approved to start. Its first supplies were received on 14 January and vaccinations began on 15 January.

"To support catching up on priority groups all Sandwich residents in the over 80s category (approx. 900 people) are being contacted from today to invite them to an additional vaccination service running from Broadstairs next week.

"Vaccination from the Balmoral surgery in Deal will also be set up.

"The Dover based services will continue to also provide vaccinations for people in these areas."

Cllr Susan Carlyle, who led the Deal-based campaign, said: "We're very pleased to hear that a base has been identified.

"It's important to say this was a people's petition that has been very popular. We've had people expressing themselves about the need for a local base.

"This means people don't have to travel in an unsafe situation using public transport or taxis.

"We acknowledge that primary care staff are under a lot of pressure and that they have had to to make difficult decisions during Covid 19 pandemic. At the end of the day we rely on the vaccine to be distributed fairly."

Cllr Pam Brivio said: "As secretary of the local Dover Seniors Citizens forum, which has many members in Deal, Sandwich and surrounding villages, I am pleased that Kent And Medway CCG have finally been able to make provision for residents in these areas.

"Since the original announcement that there would only be one hub for the whole of the district, there has been a great deal of work undertaken locally - lobbying the CCG/NHS/ and starting a petition, and finally it reached national media a few days ago.

"The whole saga has caused considerable stress to elderly vulnerable residents, not only waiting to hear about their vaccination (which seems to be behind the rest of the country) but then worrying about how they would be able to make the journey safely."

Terry Bishop is a volunteer at ACE - which provides people with a Christmas experience for those who would otherwise be alone over the festive period. Most of them are elderly or health vulnerable.

He said: "It is great news that vaccination centres in Deal are to be set up at the Balmoral Surgery and the Clockhouse pharmacy.

"This will come as a huge relief to those who expected to make a journey to Dover with all the risks that entailed.

"This results from the spirited campaign and petition by local people in Deal. It was great that the campaign was so enthusiastically backed by the Mercury and it confirms the value of having a good local paper."

"The whole saga has caused considerable stress to elderly vulnerable residents..."

The Mercury has this afternoon learned that Clockwork Pharmacy is to begin administering vaccines.

The jabs will take place at the Deal High Street venue but a date for the service is still to be decided.

Lead pharmacist for vaccines Esther Idogun said he pharmacy will need to be divided in two with a shield barrier and there will be a private consultation room. Social distancing will be regulated by a volunteer marshal.

There will be two extra pharmacists and nurses have agreed to administer the jabs voluntarily.

Patients will be invited for a vaccination by the NHS. Patients will receive communication by post with further information. Bookings can not be made by the vaccination clinic.

Read more: All the latest news from Sandwich

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Read more: All the latest news from Deal