A new permanent vaccination centre has been set up in Helston to serve the town and wider community – and will soon also be offering health checks.

It replaces the former Stithians vaccination site that was set up temporarily in marquees at the showground.

NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly said the new facility will be offering Covid-19 vaccinations.

The renovated space at Helston Health Centre is now open and will be the permanent home of the vaccination team and has been set up through NHS England.

The centre, which can be found in the building opposite Helston Library, will also look to offer health checks in the near future, to add to the services already available in the local area.

Based on GP referrals, the health checks will be carried out by appointment and in conjunction with local surgeries.

They will include blood pressure, cholesterol and eating habits, activity level, smoking and alcohol consumption, BMI and cardiovascular checks.

The team will record the results in a system that allows them to share the information with the local GP surgery, who then will be the next point of contact for the patient.

The checks will be rolled out based on an existing pilot in Truro, carried out on behalf of Lander Medical Practice, targeting 1,000 of their most at-risk patients.

The new space in Helston will serve as a base for the vaccination team to offer more outreach services to communities in Cornwall.

Iain Davidson, chief pharmacist at the Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust, said: "It is great to now be in a permanent building with a well-established team, where we can be offering vaccinations to the local community but also use as a base for the team to outreach to other communities in Cornwall in our effort to increase vaccination rates and improve access to life-saving immunisations.

"The new space will complement the vaccination clinic at the Royal Cornwall Showground in Wadebridge."

A second pilot, offering free NHS flu vaccinations, is planned in the New Year. This is designed to help increase the uptake of flu vaccinations in key groups of patients, such as two and three-year-olds, pregnant women and those with long-term medical conditions.

Members of public can book a Covid-19 booster or a first or second dose of the vaccine at the Helston Health Centre by visiting the NHS website or calling 119. Alternatively, a list of clinics offering walk-in vaccination appointments can be found at www.nhs.uk/service-search/find-a-walk-in-coronavirus-covid-19-vaccination-site