Dear Patient,
We are writing to provide you with an update on the seasonal vaccinations that will be available to you at our practice this Autumn and Winter.
We are finalising our clinic dates and timings and will be sending out invitations to book your vaccination appointment from the beginning of September. The clinics will start from the beginning of October and run into November.
The majority of our invitations will be sent by text message, however, if we do not have a mobile telephone number for you or you have previously dissented to sms we will contact you either in writing or by telephone.
Our patients that are registered as ‘housebound’ will be contacted separately to arrange a home visit.
Below provides an overview of the different vaccinations you may be offered when you attend your appointment. Not everyone is eligible for all the vaccinations so please read the below carefully. When you attend your appointment, you will be able to choose which vaccines to have, if eligible. Please note that we will not be able to offer multiple appointments for different vaccinations as this severely impacts on the availability we can offer to others.
If you believe you are eligible for any of the below and you have not heard from us by the end of September, please telephone us on 01452 529933 and we can check your record.
Please do not contact us before the end of September if you have not received an invitation. We will be sending invitations out over a period of time.
Influenza (Flu) Vaccination:
The flu vaccine helps protect against flu, which can be a serious or life-threatening illness. It’s offered on the NHS every autumn or early winter to people at higher risk of getting seriously ill from flu.
We will be offering vaccination against influenza to the following cohorts:
- Pregnant people
- Aged 2-3 years on 31st August 2024
- All children in clinical risk groups aged 6 months to less than 18 years
- Those aged 65 years and over
- Those aged 18 years to 64 years in clinical risk groups
- Those in long-stay care homes
- Carers in receipt of carer’s allowance, or those who are the main carer of an elderly or disabled person
- Close contacts of immunocompromised individuals
- Frontline health and social care
For information on the flu vaccine, please follow this link- www.nhs.uk/vaccinations/flu-vaccine/
We will invite all eligible patients to book an appointment with us. Invitations will start to go out early September, with appointments being available from October.
Covid-19 Vaccination:
The covid-19 vaccine helps protect against covid, which can be a serious or life-threatening illness. COVID-19 vaccines are offered because viruses change, and protection fades over time. It’s important to top up your protection if you’re at increased risk of serious illness from COVID-19.
Getting a COVID-19 vaccine can:
- help to reduce your risk of getting severe symptoms
- help you to recover more quickly if you catch COVID-19
- help to reduce your risk of having to go to hospital or dying from COVID-19
- protect against different strains of COVID-19
We will be offering vaccination against Covid-19 to the following cohorts:
- Pregnant people
- Those aged 65 years and over
- Those aged 16 years to 64 years in clinical risk groups (younger children in clinical risk groups are eligible but we are awaiting more information about how their vaccination will be offered in Gloucestershire)
- Those in long-stay care homes
- Carers in receipt of carer’s allowance, or those who are the main carer of an elderly or disabled person
- Close contacts of immunocompromised individuals
- Frontline health and social care
For information on the Covid-19 vaccine, please follow this link- www.nhs.uk/conditions/covid-19/covid-19-vaccination/about-covid-19-vaccination/
We will invite all eligible patients to book an appointment with us. Invitations will start to go out early September, with appointments being available from October.
Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Vaccination:
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a common cause of coughs and colds. It usually gets better by itself, but it can be serious for some babies and older adults. RSV accounts for around 30,000 hospitalisations in children aged under 5. It also causes around 9,000 hospital admissions in those aged over 75.
The RSV vaccine will be routinely offered for the first time this year, for those aged 75-80 years old. It is also being offered to people from 28 weeks of pregnancy to protect infants.
RSV vaccinations can be safely co-administered at the same time as your flu and covid vaccinations although a gap between vaccinations is recommended to those aged 75-80 years old. No specific minimal interval is advised.
We will invite all eligible patients to book an appointment with us. Invitations will start to go out in due course, with appointments being available from November.
We will continue to invite pregnant people for their RSV vaccination around the time they reach 28 weeks. This programme will run year-round.
Information about RSV can be found here- www.nhs.uk/conditions/respiratory-syncytial-virus-rsv/
Shingles Vaccination
Shingles is a common condition that causes a painful rash. It can sometimes lead to serious problems such as long-lasting pain, hearing loss or blindness.
You’re more likely to get shingles, and it’s more likely to cause serious problems, as you get older or if you have a severely weakened immune system.
The shingles vaccine helps:
- reduce your chances of getting shingles
- reduce your chances of getting serious problems if you do get shingles
The shingles vaccine is given over 2 doses, usually 6-12 months apart. Everyone aged 70-79 years is eligible for the shingles vaccine along with anyone that turns 65 after 1st September 2023.
The shingles vaccination can be safety administered with any of the above vaccinations. If you are eligible, you may be offered it when you attend for the above vaccinations.
The shingles vaccination is available year-round to all eligible patients. For most patients, once you have received the 2 doses of the vaccination, you will not need to be vaccinated again.
For more information on the shingles vaccination, please follow this link- www.nhs.uk/vaccinations/shingles-vaccine/
Pneumococcal Vaccination
The pneumococcal vaccine helps protect against serious illnesses like pneumonia, sepsis and meningitis. It can also help protect against other illnesses such as sinusitis and ear infections It’s recommended for people at higher risk of these illnesses, such as babies and adults aged 65 and over.
If you are aged 65 and over, you should be offered 1 dose of the pneumococcal vaccine. Some children and adults at higher risk of getting seriously ill are also offered a dose.
The pneumococcal vaccine can be safely administered with any of the above vaccinations. If you are eligible to be vaccinated, you may be offered it when you attend for the above vaccinations.
The pneumococcal vaccine is available year-round to all eligible patients.
For more information on the pneumococcal vaccination, please follow this link- www.nhs.uk/vaccinations/pneumococcal-vaccine/