A NORTH-EAST healthcare technology firm is offering a free upgrade of its software to help with the rollout of the Covid vaccine.

Primary care software provider Clarity Informatics has offered free updates to management software helping primary care networks in the NHS manage, coordinate and deliver the coronavirus vaccine programme.

It comes as the medical profession raises concerns about the mounting pressure Covid has put on the industry and health service, including administrative tasks like coordinating healthcare teams, rooms and venues for vaccinations as well as the management and storage of the vaccines.

Clarity Informatics hopes that the update to its service, TeamNet, will help ease the logistical strain of mass vaccination.

The TeamNet software is designed to share information across primary care networks (PCNs) so that staff from several practices and sites can access up-to-date documentation and news.

Tim Sewart, chief executive, said: “I am incredibly proud of the whole team at Clarity for getting this update rolled out as quickly as possible.

"We know how important it is to everyone that the most vulnerable members of our society are protected from this virus, and we have always predicted that any mass-vaccination programme would put increased pressure on the NHS.

“That is why we decided to make sure that all primary care networks have the technology and resources needed to aid in fulfilling the programme, and that this should be free to everyone, not just existing users of our TeamNet software.

“The Covid vaccine portal will be free for any primary care network to use throughout the duration of the mass vaccination campaign, our priority is that we support the NHS through the PCNs and make sure the vaccination programme runs as smoothly as possible.”