Getting Vaxed: Understanding User Experiences of the COVID-19 Vaccination Process in Newcastle upon Tyne

Healthwatch Newcastle undertook research on user experiences of the COVID-19 vaccination process in Newcastle upon Tyne. Between 21 October 2022 and 5 February 2023, 156 people responded to their survey. The project was prompted by feedback from a small number of local residents who shared their experiences of the Coronavirus vaccination process.

Overall, the feedback demonstrated positive experiences at the point of booking and at the vaccination site.

• Experiences while booking their COVID-19 vaccination were positive for most respondents. The process was considered quick and easy by the large majority of those consulted and the information provided at the point of booking helped most people understand the vaccination purpose and process.

• Booking through the national online system was the most common booking method for the respondent group. A maximum of around one quarter of respondents used each of the other booking methods.

• Large Vaccination Centres were the most common site type used by the respondent group. Introduced as vaccination site types later in the vaccination roll out, pop up clinics and pharmacies, although still common, were used to a lesser extent. Use of GP practices and vaccination buses were less common among the respondent group.

• Across the seven vaccination site indicators measured as part of the project, experiences at vaccination buses were rated positively most often. The privacy offered by individual consultation rooms within a GP surgery were rated highly by those who received a vaccination at this site type. Explanations provided in case of reaction were rated most positively at a large vaccination centre, this may be due to the large sites being used at the earlier stages of the vaccination roll out, when people had little knowledge of the vaccination.

Through the analysis of the feedback from local people, a number of potential actions were identified, including ensuring there are a number of booking options available to meet communication and technical needs of the public, ensuring that different types of vaccination sites are available, and ensuring queues are well managed.