Flu Clinics 2022 – Important Information
Covid 19 Autum/Winter Programme and Flu Vaccinations
The Autumn/Winter Vaccination Programme starts in September and is set to include Covid boosters and flu jabs.
We are working with our GP federation, Alliance for Better Care, to deliver our Covid vaccinations and will be running regular clinics at the Clair Hall vaccination site. As per current government guidelines, the Covid booster programme covers patients aged 50+, as well as health and care workers and those who are deemed clinically vulnerable. However, if you wish to check your eligibility, we ask that you do so via the NHS website. Should you have any questions relating specifically to the programme, please call 119.
Appointments can be booked via the NHS website or you can check the Alliance for Better Care Walk-In Clinic page.
While this next phase of the Covid vaccination programme focuses on the delivery of booster doses to eligible patients, we continue to welcome patients aged five and upwards for first and second doses of the Covid vaccine. Simply book via the NHS website or attend one of the appropriate Alliance for Better Care Walk-In Clinics.
For more information, visit https://allianceforbettercare.org/vaccination-programme-patients/
For our Flu Vaccinations we will be hosting these at the Practice on Saturdays during October.
We will be contacting all patients who are eligible for a flu vaccination directly and inviting them to receive their annual dose at our practice. Please await further information on this.
Patients are eligible for the Flu Vaccine if you are in any of the following catergories:
- anyone aged 65 and over
- pregnant women
- children and adults with an underlying health condition (such as long-term heart or respiratory disease)
- children and adults with weakened immune systems
- Anyone aged 50-64
Flu vaccine for people with medical conditions
The injected flu vaccine is offered free of charge on the NHS to anyone with a serious long-term health condition, including:
- chronic (long-term) respiratory diseases, such as asthma (which requires an inhaled or tablet steroid treatment, or has led to hospital admission in the past), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema or bronchitis
- chronic heart disease, such as heart failure
- chronic kidney disease
- chronic liver disease, such as hepatitis
- chronic neurological conditions, such as Parkinson's disease, motor neurone disease or multiple sclerosis (MS)
- diabetes
- problems with your spleen – for example, sickle cell disease or if you have had your spleen removed
- a weakened immune system as the result of conditions such as HIV and AIDS, or medication such as steroid tablets or chemotherapy
- being seriously overweight (BMI of 40 or above)
This list of conditions isn't definitive. It's always an issue of clinical judgement.
Your GP can assess you to take into account the risk of flu making any underlying illness you may have worse, as well as your risk of serious illness from flu itself. The vaccine should always be offered in such cases, even if you are not technically in one of the risk groups above. If you live with someone who has a weakened immune system, you may also be advised to have a flu vaccine. Speak to your GP about this.