A double decker bus rolled on by a GP surgery to deliver one key winter service.

The Mobile Educational Learning Improving Simulation and Safety Activities bus, nicknamed MELISSA, is used across North Cumbria and the North East to offer lessons and training to those who need it.

And on Thursday, the bus took a drive to Shap Medical Practice to support its flu jab clinic, offering a spacious and safe space for multiple patients to socially distance while receiving the vital vaccine.

Susan Graham, practice manager at Shap Medical Practice, said: “We were absolutely delighted to have MELISSA visit us – it’s such a versatile resource.

"It was a great support to our flu clinic and our community, allowing us to see a greater number of our patients on a given day to provide them with this year’s flu vaccine.

“We continue to encourage all patients to make sure they get their flu vaccine again this year, especially if they are in at risk groups and eligible for the free vaccine.”

GP Dr Margaret McCabe, from Shap Medical Practice, added: “The MELISSA bus was an ideal way of providing a vaccination clinic in a Covid-secure way in a rural community.

“We were able to take the clinic to a convenient location with good parking and it meant a reduced travelling distance for our patients to attend for their flu vaccination.

"It was easy to manage a one way system and have social distancing in place."

She continued: “Shap medical practice are very grateful for the opportunity to use the bus and to all of our patients who attended for their flu vaccination.

“We would thoroughly recommend this way of taking a flu clinic out into the community. It was exciting to be part of a new venture and the team from Shap Medical practice enjoyed the opportunity.”

And Jill Cassells, MELISSA Project Director, was thrilled to be there, and said: “It [was] a pleasure being able to support Shap Medical Practice with one of their flu clinics.

“We hope that communities across the North East and North Cumbria will recognise the versatility of MELISSA and our adaptable offering, to run clinics or public engagements, where space and location may be an issue.”

MELISSA is a partnership project that includes the North East Simulation Network, I Can Prevent Delirium, Health Education North East Faculty of Patient Safety and the Find Your Place in the North East and North Cumbria campaign.

For more information on the project visit www.melissabus.co.uk.

And for advice on whether you need to receive a flu jab this year, visit nhs.uk/staywell, or call your GP or pharmacy.