Former service personnel at a Salford care home have become the first in the region to receive their coronavirus vaccines from members of the Armed Forces.

A six-person Vaccine Quick Reaction Force (VQRF) team administered the vaccines at Broughton House.

The team is one of 21 across the country, with three based in each of the seven NHS regions – East of England, London, Midlands, North East and Yorkshire, North West, South East and South West.

Team members are medically-trained and come from all three services.

Colonel Russ Miller OBE, Commander Army Headquarters North West, said: “Broughton House asked whether could get military vaccinators to assist with their first load of vaccinations and it’s a fantastic opportunity to marry up the military youth of today with the veterans that we’re looking after here in the North West.”

Col Miller, who is also a Trustee at the charity-run care home, said it was “wonderful” to enable veterans “to have different conversations with people in uniform”

“It’s a dose of familiarity for people who have been suffering in lockdown and [have] been unable to socialise in the normal way,” he said.

Royal Navy Leading Medical Assistant Kate Edwards, who administered some of the vaccinations at Broughton House, said it was a “really heart warming” experience.

Broughton House has been the region’s primary provider of veterans’ care for more than 100 years.

Alison Wiseman, the care home manager, said she was “delighted” all the residents received their vaccine.

Seeing veterans receiving their doses from service personnel “made it special”, she added.

“It was a very welcome collaboration with the Salford Care Homes Medical Practice, which provides our veterans with GP services, and was greatly appreciated by everyone at Broughton House.”