Every Autumn/winter we run flu clinics at both sites, starting in September and through October and November. Please note there will be separate clinics for children and adults and all appointments MUST BE PRE-BOOKED, these are not drop-in clinics.
Only patients who qualify for flu can be vaccinated by the surgery, if you do not qualify but would like to have the vaccine you can pay to have it at local pharmacies.
Patients who do qualify for a free flu vaccine will be invited by us via an SMS text message – please wait until you receive your invite before calling to book into our clinic.
Obviously this year clinics will be under COVID-19 distancing rules and therefore we cannot allow patients to wait in the waiting room. Please be prepared to queue outside the building in the designated area, appointments will be strictly timed every 3 minutes, please do not arrive too early and wear short sleeves or loose clothing (hopefully the weather will be kind and lots of outer layers of clothing will not be required). We thank you in advance for your understanding and co-operation.
People who should have a flu vaccine
The injected flu vaccine is offered free of charge on the NHS to people who are at risk.
You should have the flu vaccine if you:
- are 65 years old or over
- are pregnant
- have certain medical conditions (see below)
- are living in a long-stay residential care home or another long-stay care facility
- receive a carer’s allowance, or you’re the main carer for an elderly or disabled person whose welfare may be at risk if you fall ill
- live with someone who’s at high risk of coronavirus (on the NHS shielded patient list) or you expect to be with them on most days over winter
Patients aged 50-64 who are having the flu jab should read the following information leaflet Information Leaflet
Flu vaccine for children
The flu vaccine is free on the NHS for:
- children over the age of 6 months with a long-term health condition
- children aged 2 and 3 years on 31 August 2020 (that is, born between 1 September 2016 and 31 August 2018)
- children in primary school (via the school vaccination programme, not at their GP surgery)
- children in year 7 (secondary school) (via the school vaccination programme, not at their GP surgery)
Children aged between 6 months and 2 years who are eligible for the flu vaccine will receive an injected flu vaccine.
Children eligible for the flu vaccine aged between 2 and 17 will usually have the nasal spray flu vaccine.
Medical Conditions that qualify for free flu vaccine
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 (that 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, multiple sclerosis (MS), or cerebral palsy
- a learning disability
- 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 medicines such as steroid tablets or chemotherapy
- being seriously overweight (a BMI of 40 or above)
This list of conditions is not definitive. It’s always an issue of clinical judgement.
