Autumn Flu and Covid Programme 2023/24
Both the Flu and Covid vaccination season has started earlier than originally announced due to rises of both diseases in the UK.
The vaccinating of patients at the surgery will only be open to does who are classed as clinically @ risk as confirmed by the JCVI with no exceptions.
Definition of clinically at risk as below:
- Residents in a care home for older adults
- All adults aged 65 years and over
- Persons aged 6 months to 64 years in a clinical risk group, as laid out in the Immunisation Green Book, COVID-19 Chapter (Green Book), Immunisations Green Book Influenza Chapter (Green book).
- Frontline health and social care workers
- Persons aged 12 to 64 years who are household contacts (as defined in the Green Book) of people with immunosuppression
- Persons aged 16 to 64 years who are carers (as defined in the Green Book) and staff working in care homes for older adults.
- Children aged 2 or 3 years on 31 August 2023 (born between 1 September 2019 and 31 August 2021) for Flu vaccination.
The Practice will be running dedicated clinics for all eligible patients over the coming weeks and invitations via SMS messaging to patients have already started to go out. We ask all who are eligible and have received their invites to either book yourselves in using the link provided in the SMS message or by calling the practice between 10am and 5pm Monday to Friday.
Patients aged 18 plus and within a clinical risk groups will be offered both the Covid and Flu vaccination at the same time, so you will only need to book one appointment if having both either or. Patients under 18 will be offered the nasal flu vaccination unless clinically contraindicated, where we will be able to offer an alternative but only if clinically they are unable to have the nasal vaccine.
If you are aged 65 or over, please be aware invitations for your age group have not yet been sent and will be sent in the coming week so please bear with us and await your invitation.
Patients who are classed as Housebound, will be called to confirm if they wish to take up the offer of the vaccinations and will then be contacted at a later date to confirm when they will be immunised at their place of residence. Vaccinations will be done by the community nursing team.
Patients who we are unable to contact via SMS messaging due to no mobile number or change in contact details that we are unaware of, will be contacted by the practice via telephone, letter or
email in the coming week to offer both Flu and Covid vaccinations for adults or just the flu vaccination for under 18’s.
If you do not wish to have either vaccination this year, we ask for you to let us know either by responding through your invite link, sending us an admin query https://florey.accurx.com/p/H85114 or by letting us know when we call you, this will allow us to ensure your records are updated with this information and so we can remove you from our reminder Campaigns (SMS/Calls).
This does not stop you in the future of changing your mind and taking up the offer of the vaccines, it just stops us from sending or making opportunistic communications regarding the vaccinations.
If you are unable to attend our dedicated clinic dates, you can also book through the national systems for both Flu and Covid:
Covid Booking system
Flu booking system
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/book-flu-vaccination/
OR Alternately contact your local pharmacy.
School aged children with no Clinical risk – Parents/ legal guardians, your child will be offered the Vaccination as part of the Governments School programme, please seek advice from your childs school as to when they will be offered the vaccination at their school or where/when they will run local clinics if they are unable to have it at school. If your Child is home schooled and you wish for them to have the flu vaccine, please contact the surgery to obtain further information as to your options.
For further information regarding either the flu or Covid vaccination please check out the NHS website.
Covid - https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/covid-19/covid-19-vaccination/
Flu Adult- https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/flu-influenza-vaccine/
Flu Children - https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/child-flu-vaccine/
Polio Vaccine booster in London - Updated 23rd August
Polio Vaccination Update – 23rd August 2022
We just wanted to reassure our patients that we are working hard to finalise our plans for vaccinating all eligible patients with an additional Polio vaccine.
Firstly we ask all patients/Guardians not to call the practice or book an appointment unless you have already received either an invitation via SMS or letter and that you please wait until you have been contacted. If you do not receive contact shortly this will mean the child at present is not eligible for an additional vaccination.
Phase 1
All eligible patients whose routine immunisations were either due or overdue have been contacted via SMS or by letter and have been requested to make contact with the practice to arrange a vaccination appointment.
Phase 2
All eligible patients aged 1 to 5 who are now due an additional vaccination, on top of the normal routine childhood immunisations will start to receive an SMS or letter invitation by the end of this week.
To clarify Eligibility for additional polio dose, children aged 1 year to 3 years 3 months will be able to receive an additional dose post 4 weeks after their last Polio dose. Children aged 3 years 4 months to 5 year olds will be able to receive an additional dose 12 months after their last polio dose.
Children 5 up to 10 years of age further information to follow in due course.
Dear Patients,
We are aware of the latest news regarding Polio Vaccines for children in London, rest assured once further communication has been sent from NHS England that we will be in touch with all patients/parents of all eligible persons with further information. You do not need to do anything at present as we will be in contact in due course.
Many thanks
Thurleigh Road Practice.