Buildings 2 and 3 to become COVID vaccination centre

Find out what this means for you…

Following on from the announcement at yesterday’s staff briefing (10 November), we can confirm buildings 2 and 3 will be used as a COVID vaccination centre as of 1 December.

The request to have an NHS facility has come directly from NHS England and the site must be ready by 24 November 2020. This includes clearing the buildings of existing furniture and making it clinically suitable for the vaccination programme.

This does not mean vaccinations will begin, it means we will be ready to offer vaccinations from 1 December when a vaccine is ready and becomes available.

The new arrangements are expected to continue for at least five months.

What does this mean for colleagues working in buildings 2 and 3?

To make sure the buildings are ready in time we are inviting colleagues who normally work in buildings 2 and 3, or have been splitting their time between home working and office working, to come to Spencer Close and clear any personal effects they have in their desk drawers or pedestals. This must be completed by 5pm on Friday 13 November. Please inform Jackie Hall on reception when you plan to come in.

We appreciate this is short notice, so if you work in buildings 2 or 3 but can’t come in, or know of a colleague who does but is unable to come into the office, please inform your line manager and alternative arrangements can be made. Alternatively please email the Communications team.

The Child Death Review team and the CHC team will be relocated to building 4. They will occupy vacant desks that are not being used and will continue to use these desks until buildings 2 and 3 are available for use again.

In line with Government guidance, colleagues should continue to work from home if they can, or unless they have made alternative arrangements with their line manager.

Am I allowed to take my pedestal home with me?

Yes. The pedestal needs to be barcoded before you take it home. Please inform Jackie Hall on reception when you are coming in and that you would like to take your pedestal home with you.

Can I hot desk in another building?

No. Under the current COVID-19 guidelines around social distancing and hygiene, hot desking is not permitted.

If you have already arranged to split your working week between home and the office, please speak to your line manager. A new arrangement can be made for you to work from a different desk in another building. However, you must continue to use this desk for the foreseeable future.

The Child Death Review team and the CHC team will be relocated to building 4 and will use vacant desks that are not being used by anyone else. They will continue to use these desks for the duration.

In line with Government guidance, colleagues should continue to work from home if they can, unless they have made alternative arrangements with their line manager.

Do I need to clear my personal effects if I work in buildings 1 or 4?

No. The COVID vaccination centre in buildings 2 and 3 will not affect buildings 1 and 4.

How will buildings 2 and 3 be used?

The buildings will become a COVID vaccination centre, initially for NHS frontline staff, social care and domiciliary workers. There will be a separate workforce including vaccinators, volunteers, clinical staff and more.

What will happen to the furniture from buildings 2 and 3?

The furniture will be stored away safely until it can be brought back into use.

The office landline phone currently redirects calls to my mobile phone. If they are cleared away does this mean I will no longer be able to receive calls?

The team is working hard to make sure there is no disruption to the phone lines. We will keep you updated on this.

Please email the Communications team with any questions. We will keep the Q&A updated and add these to the COVID-19: Restart. Rethink section on AskHUE.