The NHS is hoping to carry out up to 3,000 covid vaccinations a day at the Brighton Centre in the next six months.
A council report published today says the Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust has been granted a licence to use the seafront conference centre from December 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021, and possibly until May.
The Brighton Centre would be the main location for the city, with a number of smaller sites also anticipated.
Meanwhile, the trust is recruiting thousands of vaccinators and volunteers to deliver the programme in Sussex.
The report, published half an hour before this afternoon’s policy and resources committee which has already noted it, says: “Discussions took place with the trust over November.
“These discussions were set within the context of the developing and dynamic situation in terms of Government direction and the availability of a vaccination which has Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) approval for deployment across the country.
“The Brighton Centre is considered ideal by the trust for city vaccination plans. The unique qualities of the venue include its location and size which would enable the majority of the city’s population to be vaccinated.
“The trust see the Brighton Centre as the vaccination location for Brighton and Hove and more widely, although it is anticipated there will be a number of smaller sites elsewhere to ensure that the population of Sussex will be fully covered.
“The trust has sought to secure an occupation agreement for the Brighton Centre from 1 December 2020 until the 31 March 2021. The peak of the programme could be vaccinating 3,000 citizens per day.
“The trust would also welcome the possibility to discuss the occupation of the Brighton Centre beyond the end of March if it were to be available, to meet any ongoing needs within the vaccination programme.”
The estimated value of the licence up to 31 March 2021 is £740,000 with the potential for extending the arrangement into April/May 2021.
The income will help the council with the ongoing operational costs of maintaining the building.
At the moment, the government is providing a grant to cover 75 per cent of income losses.
Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust, which is the lead provider for the vaccination programme across Sussex, will be responsible for co-ordinating and managing the programme, as well as some of the delivery alongside GPs.
NHS staff are expected to be drafted in to administer the vaccine from hospital, community and ambulance trusts , where doing so will not affect patient care, but thousands more will be needed to ensure the health service can vaccinate millions of people quickly when supplies are available.
Parliament recently changed the law to allow a wider group of people to undertake training to deliver vaccines.
