Talking about vaccines

Last updated: Monday 28 February 2022

How to talk about vaccines

The national Covid-19 vaccination programme is one of the key remaining tools in controlling the pandemic, with safe and effective vaccines reducing hospitalisation, as well as saving lives.

Thousands of people have continued to come forward over recent months for first doses in Nottinghamshire, after reconsidering the evidence around the Covid-19 vaccine. Unfortunately, there are still areas where vaccination uptake is lower and it is vital that we work together to:

  • improve understanding of the importance of vaccination
  • increase confidence in the safety of the vaccine
  • improve access to vaccination

Trusted community settings and leaders are uniquely placed to talk directly with families and residents to help understand concerns around vaccination and address misinformation. Therefore this resource has been created to support you to undertake these conversations effectively and in turn help residents to make an informed choice about the Covid-19 vaccine.

Having an informed conversation

As a familiar face and trusted voice to residents, you will be uniquely placed to have a conversation with people that may be hesitant about vaccination to help them make an informed choice. We know this kind of discussion can be daunting and the below resource may help you with how to start and structure a conversation around Covid-19 vaccinations:

Making Every Contact Count – Vaccine Confidence

This website has been produced by NHS and Local Authority partners in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland and the page includes a video around how to build your confidence ahead of having a conversation and a tool that provides a framework for discussion [PDF online].

Eligibility and provision

To support conversations with residents we appreciate you need to have the key information to hand about how and where people can access their vaccinations. You can find out about the different groups eligible for first, second, third and booster doses and how they can access vaccinations on our main vaccinations page. The NHS website is also kept up to date with the latest information in terms of eligible cohorts.

Supporting residents

Booking appointments

Issues related to literacy, language, confidence, or access to technology may be hurdles to be overcome in booking a vaccination appointment. Any support that you can offer people in this regard would be of enormous value. You could support with booking appointments on their behalf via the NHS website or through 119. 

Anyone finding difficulties in arranging a vaccination in Bassetlaw can email bassetlawccg.covidvaccinationinformation@nhs.net. They just need to state their name, date of birth and the GP surgery they are with (if they don’t know their GP surgery then just state ‘no GP’).

If residents have difficulties communicating or hearing or are a British Sign Language (BSL) user, they can use textphone 18001 119 or the NHS 119 BSL interpreter service.

Enquiries

We are supporting with requests for information and assistance related to the vaccine rollout so if residents have any questions that are not answered, they can contact: enquiries@nottscc.gov.uk or call 0300 500 80 80

Funding opportunity for community or voluntary organisations

Up to £500 funding is available to help increase Covid-19 vaccine uptake in Nottinghamshire. If you are a community or voluntary organisation and have ideas about innovative ways that the importance of vaccination could be promoted or how uptake or access could potentially be improved for priority groups, you may be eligible for support through the Inequalities Small Grants Fund. For further details and to apply, please see the application form below.

Transport

To help residents plan their journey to vaccine centres, we have highlighted the bus routes to the main vaccination sites across Nottingham City and County.

Buses to vaccination centres

If the above page does not list the vaccination site a resident is planning to attend, you can plan your journey through Traveline.

FAQs

The Nottingham and Nottinghamshire CCG has an extensive FAQs section on their website which should help with questions you may be asked.

Vaccination FAQs

In addition to the above, there is also a dedicated FAQs section regarding vaccinations and pregnancy, breastfeeding and trying to conceive.

If there are any questions you are often asked and think would benefit from being included within the above, please email them to coronavirusph@nottscc.gov.uk with the email subject “Name of District – Feedback on vaccination resource” and we can look to get them added for you.

Vaccination resources

The Nottingham and Nottinghamshire CCG regularly produce a Covid-19 vaccination toolkit to provide community leaders with the most up-to-date information about the vaccine to help you share key messages. Please find the latest version (Monday 28 February 2022) below:

Covid-19 vaccination toolkit [PDF] 

If you would like to sign up to receive the toolkit updates and invites to webinar briefings, please contact nnccg.team.engagement@nhs.net 

Included below are useful links to further resources that you may find helpful and want to share with residents, dependent on their specific concerns around vaccination.

Feedback

Thank you for your ongoing support in engaging with our communities in Nottinghamshire around vaccination to help ensure we are all as protected as possible against Covid-19.

To help us improve this page please share any feedback or ideas about what you would like to be included. Email them to: coronavirusph@nottscc.gov.uk – using email subject: “Name of District - Feedback on vaccination resource”

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