Collaboration continues to be focused on reaching locations where temporary clinics cannot be easily set up
RMI – a company which focuses on providing medical support to remote regions across the world – has provided over 2,000 COVID-19 vaccines throughout Dover. It is part of its ongoing partnership with NHS South, Central and West (SWC).
The vaccines are an essential element of the ongoing booster programme, with individuals aged 50 years or over being urged to get the jab. The latest expansion of the service comes after RMI’s campaign in Crawley in 2022, during which the organisation delivered almost 5,000 COVID-19 vaccines in a month.
RMI’s team are operating from mobile vaccination unit vans and supporting the vaccine delivery alongside NHS professionals. The collaboration continues to be focused on reaching locations where temporary clinics cannot be easily set up. These areas are typically defined by populations that have barriers to accessing primary care facilities.
The locations of the units in Dover include Haskins Garden Centre, Cygent Leisure Centre, Rochester Homeless Shelter and Dartford Rugby Club.
A novel mobile medicine approach was enabled by the conditions of COVID-19 which speeded up the application and development of varying healthcare delivery modes to produce efficient solutions for previously unmet needs in the NHS.
Jules Rawles, managing director UK at RMI, has been impressed by how the NHS partnership has been able to navigate geographical challenges: “By working closely with NHS SWC, we have ensured that the health service in Dover was better prepared to deal with the rapid rise in demand this winter.”
He added: “To have delivered more than 2,100 COVID-19 vaccines in such a short amount of time is a huge achievement and we are so pleased to have made a difference in the area.”