This comes as the federal government released a list of 1000 GP clinics across the nation that could be administering vaccines to eligible people from next week. The list includes 10 clinics in the wider Ballarat region.

UFS confirmed via a statement late on Wednesday it would run a new free public vaccination hub in the hospital precinct, likely to open mid-next week - pending booking and vaccine availability as directed by the Victorian health department.

These announcements have created confusion and tense frustration across Ballarat among phase 1b candidates, seeking jab details.

GP practice managers that spoke to The Courier said initial vaccine allocations were small and priority was being given to clinic patients. Most were working to contact patients directly. At the same time, clinics must also first carefully screen patients before a vaccination.

The full list of GP clinics can be found here.

Ballarat Medical Centre alone had more than 1700 patients aged 70-plus who could receive a jab but next week the clinic was set to receive 80 vaccine doses with 100 the week after.

At this rate, it could take the clinic four months to work through these patients, let alone those who qualified with chronic disease, people with disabilities carers and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples 55-plus.

Ballarat Medical Centre practice manager Julie Shelley said the clinic was planning on the likely scenario of being in the vaccination process "for the long haul".

"We have to do this the sensible way. We can't burn out staff either, we need to think of their well-being," Ms Shelley said. "This is not going to be a case of ringing up and yes, you get a needle."

Ms Shelley said practice staff were happy to "do their bit" in the fight against COVID the best way they could.

Health department criteria has strict guidelines for the estimated 6.1 million Australians eligible under the phase 1b roll-out.

Most people in this phase will need to be assessed by their doctor and have supporting letters or identification to receive the vaccination.

GP nurses, doctors and reception staff at participating clinics have undergone specialist training in patient assessment and in vaccine handling.

Delacome Medical Centre receptionist Kristen Bourquin said it had been a lot of work, but important work for clinics.

Ms Bourquin's clinic had also been overwhelmed with phone calls on Wednesday morning. Other phone call attempts The Courier made to clinics rang out.

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Clinics are urging people to hold off calling until they had further details and had received the vaccinations.

Victorian Senator Sarah Henderson, in a joint statement with federal Health Minister Greg Hunt on Wednesday, made clear not all Australians in phase 1b would be vaccinated immediately. More GP clinics will join the program once their systems and vaccine supply are updated.

Ms Henderson and Mr Hunt reiterated no-one would miss out in coming months and said more participating GP clinics and community pharmacists would be called on for vaccinations moving into the roll-out's phase two.

UFS will run a dedicated vaccination hub, known as Ballarat Respiratory Clinic, seven days a week excepting public holidays. This will be open to UFS Medical's eligible patients and the wider community.

The respiratory clinic is completely separate from the UFS-run COVID-19 testing clinic on Errard Street North.

Vaccinations will be by appointment only and UFS will not be able to take bookings until final details for the clinics were confirmed by the health department.

Ballarat made its first official COVID-19 jabs less than three weeks ago via the federal government's Pfizer program to private aged care and Ballarat Health Service's program to the city's public aged care residents.

BHS is one of nine Pfizer hubs in the state, overseeing roll-outs to frontline healthcare workers and in aged care across the Grampians region.

GP clinics will predominantly use AstraZeneca vaccine, which retains strong backing from Australia's Therapeutic Goods Administration.

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