Retired doctor urges other medics to join vaccine effort
A retired doctor who will be helping administer Covid-19 vaccines is urging former colleagues to fight their way through the red tape and get on board.
Former consultant gynaecologist Bernie Bentick, who helped 12,000 families in Shropshire have babies through IVF treatment during his medical career, is waiting to be deployed after being accepted to help with the programme.
Many retired medics have voiced their frustrations over extensive e-learning and bureaucratic processes, leading some to feel like giving up.
But Bernie, from Meole, Brace, Shrewsbury, said: “I’m in a vulnerable group, but I think it’s the right thing to do.
"There is a lot of red tape, as there is with a lot of things in the NHS, so people will need the persistence to work through that.”
When Bernie put himself forward at the end of last month, there was a lot of online documentation.
But now much of it has been removed, including e-learning modules on conflict resolution, fire safety, preventing radicalisation and safeguarding children.
Bernie, who helped establish the Severn Fields Fertility Clinic in Sundorne during his 30 years before retiring last April, added: “As a previous NHS employee, I know my way around the website. It took a month to be accepted, which is an awfully long time.”
He is now expecting to be deployed in Shrewsbury or Oswestry.
Shropshire medics can join the vaccine volunteers by emailing people@stwtogether.co.uk
As well as clinical roles, there are also healthcare assistant and administrative roles.
