Fife College’s Carnegie Conference Centre in Dunfermline is to become a mass Covid-19 vaccination clinic.
The clinic is expected to be operational in May 2021 offering hundreds of vaccinations each day.
Principal of Fife College, Dr Hugh Hall said: “We were keen to support the vaccination effort in any way we could so we are delighted that part of our Carnegie Conference Centre has been chosen as a mass vaccination centre in the Kingdom.
“We are looking forward to welcoming Fife residents on to our campus over the coming weeks and months.”
“Proud of the part we play”
Representatives from Fife College made contact with NHS Fife earlier this year to offer the use of their facilities free-of-charge for use as vaccination clinics.
The Canmore Hall Suite within the Carnegie Conference Centre was identified and a thorough assessment was carried out.
In addition to providing significant space so that social distancing could be maintained, Carnegie Conference Centre also has good public transport links and dedicated parking facilities.
Dr Hugh added: “The College is proud of the part we play in the local communities we serve and we are pleased to be able to support NHS Fife in the fantastic work they are doing.”
One of four vaccination centres
Plans are in place to have four such centres in Fife.
The use of Fife College’s Carnegie Conference Centre follows the recent announcement the former M&S store on Kirkcaldy High Street will also become a mass vaccination site.
The two remaining remaining mass vaccination sites will be confirmed shortly.
The new clinics are larger still and are designed to maximise the number and flow of people attending for their jab.
Vaccinations at the new clinics will continue to be by appointment only.
More than 220,000 jabs in Fife
Since early February 2021 a network of community Covid-19 clinics in Fife have been in operation, performing many thousands of immunisations each week.
More than 220,000 jabs now having been administered, with the likely completion of first doses for those in priority groups one to nine in the coming weeks.
Phase two will see all adults in Fife offered vaccination on a incremental basis over the coming months.
“Largest public health intervention the Kingdom has ever seen”
NHS Fife Director of Nursing, Janette Owens, said they are grateful for the use of Canmore Hall.
She added: “The Covid-19 vaccination programme in Fife is far and away the largest public health intervention the Kingdom has ever seen, with more than 220,000 jabs administered in a few short months.
“With the first doses for those in our prioritised groups nearing completion, it’s vital that we look towards the vaccination of our wider adult population and this requires us to tailor our approach if we are to deliver the number of vaccines we are required to in timely manner.
“Venues such as the Carnegie Conference Centre will not only enable us to perform more vaccinations than other clinics nearby, they also provide greater flexibility with sufficient space to enable us to scale up and down the programme dependent on vaccine supply.”
Vaccination programme
The latest information on the Covid-19 vaccination programme in Fife is available on NHS Fife’s website.
Additional information on the Covid-19 vaccination programme in Scotland is available on the NHS Inform website.