Leeds pharmacy opens new Covid vaccination clinic inside Halton Matalan offering jabs for up to 300 people a day

Community pharmacy group Pharm-Assist (Healthcare) Ltd has expanded its vaccine services into Halton Matalan, where it will administer up to 300 jabs a day.

The clinic opens today and will run on Monday, Tuesday and Friday from 9am to 5pm, and from 10.30am to 4pm on Sunday, until demand for vaccines subsides.

Anyone who is yet to receive their first, second or booster jabs can now book through the NHS website.

The centre will also offer vaccinations to young people aged 12-15 to help parents access a jab for their children if they missed it at school.

Pharm-Assist has opened the clinic in response to high demand for jabs at its Seacroft vaccine clinic.

Director Nikki Cohen hopes the new clinic will reach hard-to-reach groups who may not feel comfortable in a healthcare setting.

She said: "If you haven’t got yourself fully vaccinated and boosted against Covid-19, now is the time.

"We were thrilled when Matalan responded so generously to our request to help with the vaccination programme.

"Their donation of a valuable area in their store will help us reach more than 300 additional people each day, as the nation does all it can to get fully vaccinated and boosted against coronavirus."

Nikki and her husband Ashley launched their pharmacy group in 2006 to offer a more localised and personal healthcare service to the Leeds community.

They've now delivered more than 37,000 jabs across their Leeds and York clinics, as well as continuing to run their pharmacies in Seacroft, Halton and York.

Nikki added: "We have learnt that for some people, going to a doctor's surgery can be a daunting experience.

"This new offer inside Matalan will provide a more familiar and relaxed setting. Anyone who has yet to come forward to get a vaccine, or needs a booster, is very welcome to attend.”

The clinic will run in a dedicated space in the Matalan store, which is close to Halton Pharmacy, with marshalls on hand to guide visitors to the vaccine area.

The operations director at Matalan, Mike Jeans, said: "At Matalan we’re proud to serve families up and down the UK and we’re always eager to hear of opportunities like this, where we can help do that little bit extra for our communities.

"We’re delighted to be offering up space in our Leeds Halton store to help our neighbours at Halton Pharmacy offer vaccines and booster jabs to even more people at this time."

To book a Covid vaccine go to www.nhs.uk or call 119 and book at Halton Pharmacy (Matalan).

Support the YEP and become a subscriber today. Enjoy unlimited access to local news and the latest on Leeds United, With a digital subscription, you see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Click here to subscribe.