Public should ask about wait times, advise Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership

Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership have told the public to ask about wait times upon arrival at vaccine centres and decide if they are willing to wait.

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Long queues have formed outside the Capital’s vaccination sites in the run up to Christmas with many people forced to wait hours to be vaccinated.

Frustration grew last week as members of the public attending Leith Community Treatment Centre were left out in the bitter cold for up to five hours, waiting for their appointment.

Queue outside Leith Community Treatment Centre .

Mothers with children and elderly people were spotted waiting outside the centre.

One woman was seen trying to finish a work assignment on her laptop while waiting in line to be seen.

An unhappy patient told the Evening News: “I’m not waiting here all day.”

A spokesperson for the Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership said the long queues have been caused by increased demand for vaccination.

The partnership has adjusted opening hours to manage this demand and advised individuals to ask how long the wait will likely be when they arrive at the vaccine centre and then to decide if they are willing to wait.

The spokesperson said: “Following announcements by the Scottish Government inviting over 18s and above to book appointments for their booster vaccinations, we are seeing a surge in our booked appointments and drop in centre numbers, across all vaccination sites in Edinburgh including Leith Community Treatment Centre. All our sites are offering limited drop in facilities. To support the anticipated (and actual) increase in demand, we have adjusted hours of opening and staffing, as well as ongoing advice to people waiting.

“This is a highly complex vaccination programme with many different strands being delivered at the same time. Our vaccination teams are working tirelessly to accommodate as many people as possible, prioritising pre-booked appointments. We continue to thank everyone for their patience, and urge those with an appointment to stick to their allotted time to try and help minimise queueing. For those planning to attend a drop in centre, please ask about waiting times upon arrival, in order to make a decision on whether to wait, return at a different time, or book online for a future appointment.”

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