People in the Scottish Highlands will soon be receiving Covid-19 vaccines in their local communities thanks to a partnership between Highland Council and NHS Highland.
Highland Council’s transport and housing maintenance staff have procured and built a custom-made mobile vaccine unit for NHS Highland to enable health staff to deliver vaccinations across the Highlands.
The area covered by the council is the largest in the UK, having a total land area of 26,484sq. km, making it 20% larger than Wales and the purpose-built mobile vaccination unit, coined the ‘Jabbernaut’ will help with the area’s geographic logistics.
The Highland Council is also supporting NHS Highland in the vaccination programme rollout by providing a welfare vehicle, supply vehicle and drivers in the delivery of vaccinations to Highland communities
They are also helping to identify and using other venues where needed, while the council’s school nurses team is helping to administer vaccinations.
Commenting, Chair of Highland Council’s Communities and Place Committee, Councillor Allan Henderson said: “I commend council staff for their creativity and very positive approach to partnership working with NHS Highland to create the Jabbernaut.”
He also said: “The Jabbernaut will help enable NHS staff to deliver their vaccination programme across Highland, regardless of location.”
NHS Highland Medical Director, Dr Boyd Peters added: “The Highland Council teams have really understood our needs and what we require in order to deliver vaccines to the population.
“The vaccination programme in NHS Highland continues to progress well and with the introduction of the Jabbernaut, I look forward to seeing that progress continue.”
