Patients mistake genuine Rustington vaccine invitations as a scam
A doctor in Rustington is urging people to accept invitations for vaccine appointments offered by a company called Innovations in Primary Care ltd (IPC).
The not-for-profit company owned by West Sussex GPs is managing telephone bookings for vaccine appointments across the area.
But Tim Kimber, Senior Partner at Park Surgery, Littlehampton, said there had been a ‘significant’ issue with patients declining a genuine booking offer from the company because they thought it was a scam.
He reassured patients that it was genuine, adding: “If IPC calls to offer a vaccine appointment, it is genuine, they will not ask for a fee.”
Dr Kimber said the person on the phone would tell patients they were calling from IPC and offer them an appointment at Westcourt Surgery in The Street, Rustington.
No fees would be requested at any point, he said.
The practice will be vaccinating patients from Park surgery and Willow green surgery, as well as Westcourt Surgery.
Vaccinations began on Wednesday and Dr Kimber said hundreds of people had already been given their jabs.
Residents at local care homes are also being given vaccinations, he said.
Find out more about Innovations in Primary Care here.