THE TEAM behind Basingstoke's vaccination centre have responded to criticism from residents that have found it difficult to get booster jabs in the town.

Residents have complained that they have been unable to book their top-up dose in Basingstoke, and have instead been sent to Reading, Fleet or Andover, despite the Jameson House vaccination centre still being up and running.

But Dr Tim Cooper, clinical lead at North Hampshire's vaccination centre, has reassured residents that "everyone who is eligible and wants a vaccination will be given one".

The Gazette understands that the vaccination service in the town is very busy as the booster programme ramps up whilst teenagers aged 16-17 become eligible for their second doses, and children aged 12 and up are able to get their first jab.

One resident said: "It is bizarre that a town of Basingstoke’s size doesn’t have anywhere to set up a vaccination centre that is easily accessible for local residents. Last year a flu vaccination hub was set up in an empty shop in the Malls.

"It seems strange that the same couldn’t happen for something as important as the Covid booster."

Another said: "It seems that after such an amazing start with TWO vaccination centres we are now being forgotten."

But Dr Cooper said that the Jameson House centre is still vaccinating thousands of people each week.

He told The Gazette: "Almost a year into the programme we are still vaccinating around 7,000 people every week in North Hampshire, which is a truly huge achievement by all of the staff and volunteers involved.

“Everyone who is eligible and wants a vaccination will be given one – more appointments will become available locally.”

More than 2.7 million Covid vaccines have been given in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, and the NHS say that the service is operating at or around capacity with a good level of vaccine supply.

The Hampshire Court Hotel was the location for the first of Basingstoke's vaccination centres - opening in December 2020 and administering more than 100,000 doses before it closed in June. Services there transferred to Jameson House, across the road.

More than 150,000 doses were administered in seven months at the mass vaccination clinic at Basingstoke Fire Station, which closed in September.