Newton Abbot Racecourse becoming jab centre

And they're off - on Saturday!

Newton Abbot Racecourse is to be used as a covid vaccination centre for the summer from this Saturday [15 May].

A group of local GPs will run the service, which has been chosen because it is easily accessible on the outskirts of the town and has plenty of free parking.

Two Primary Care Networks have been involved in setting up the vaccination centre and will be using the site for their patients. The practices involved are Buckland Surgery, Cricketfield Surgery, Devon Square Surgery, Kingsteignton Medical Practice,  Albany Surgery, Bovey Tracey and Chudleigh Surgery and Kingskerswell and Ipplepen Medical Centre. 

Patients at these surgeries will be offered vaccinations at Newton Abbot Racecourse and this will allow the surgeries to increase the current capacity they have been using at Sherborne House. 

Pat Masterson, the racecourse's managing director said: “The building’s ground floor function room has good open access so people who are frail or elderly can be treated quickly and easily before returning via a one-way system back to the car park.

“There’s plenty of room to move around safely, which is what makes Newton Abbot Racecourse a perfect setting for a vaccination centre.”

Nadine Jones and Ed Isaac, operation managers for the Newton Abbot covid-19 vaccination service, said: “We are very excited about moving to the Racecourse, which will enable us to increase our capacity as we move to the second phase of the programme.

“This will allow us to provide first doses for our younger population while administering second doses for our earlier cohorts. The site is very accessible and will reduce travelling times for those who live in and around Newton Abbot.

Patients will be contacted by their practice to confirm arrangements for their first or second appointments.