NHS Lanarkshire started the process of delivering its coronavirus vaccination programme to care home residents and staff today - with Scotland's first care home resident getting the vaccine.

Hamilton’s Abercorn care home was the first in Scotland to be visited as NHS Lanarkshire registered nurses vaccinated 52 residents and 46 staff.

The first dose of the vaccine, developed by Pfizer and BioNTech and approved for use by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, will be followed up by the second dose in 28 days’ time.

Annie Innes, 90, has been a resident of the care home for six months.

Annie, who was a carer for more than 14 years, said: “It’s wonderful to get the vaccine before Christmas.

“I hope it keeps me, my friends here and the staff safe and means we can get back to normal very soon.

“The nurses and the care home staff have been great with us and we’re all relieved to be vaccinated.”

Margaret Keating (82), a former bar tender, who has been a resident at Abercorn House for just over a year was the second person to receive the vaccine.

Trudi Marshall, Health & Social Care North Lanarkshire nurse director, who is managing the care home vaccination programme across the whole of Lanarkshire, said: “This programme represents the biggest logistical challenges Lanarkshire, and the country, has ever faced.

“We’ve very rapidly scaled up our nursing workforce and carried out detailed planning which will enable us to vaccinate 2,990 care home residents and 5,601 staff across 93 care homes. In addition, the safe transport and storage of the vaccines has also been a very complex area of work and our staff have been excellent in meeting these challenges so diligently.

“It’s important to recognise just how much work our staff have put in to the process in such a short time. Care home staff and managers also deserve praise for their fantastic co-operation and help.

“Every day we see just how hard care home staff are working to keep residents safe. In addition, they are also liaising with our Care Home Liaison team every step of the way in planning for the roll-out of the vaccines.

“We have a detailed vaccination in place which we are communicating to care homes. While this is a very quick moving and complex operation, we’re dedicated to ensuring they are prepared for our visits and resident and staff have consented to receiving the vaccination. The close working between both Lanarkshire health and social care partnerships and NHS Lanarkshire has played a key role in ensuring staff are fully prepared to deliver the vaccination programme.

“As always, keeping people safe is the absolute number one priority for NHS Lanarkshire. I can give the reassurance that each vaccine has passed a rigorous and independent three-phase testing process, been reviewed by independent regulatory and advisory bodies to ensure it is effective and safe for use.

“I’d urge all eligible care home residents and staff to take-up the vaccine to protect themselves and others. I fully understand we’re all eager to get vaccinated, however I’d call for people across Lanarkshire to please be patient as we work through priority groups.

“In the meantime, I ask people right across Lanarkshire to keep following the FACTS around coronavirus. There is still a long winter ahead of us so please protect yourself, your loved ones and the NHS.”