Flu clinic and other vaccinations

We provide vaccinations at the surgery including flu, pneumococcal and shingles

Flu Vaccinations

Every autumn, around September, we start our flu clinics. We aim to vaccinate as many of those at risk as possible. You will be invited by text message or letter if you qualify, and can book by telephone or using an online link sent to you by text message.

We recommend that you have a flu jab (for free) or a flu nasal spray (if aged 2 to 17) if you are:

  • aged 65 or over
  • pregnant
  • aged 2 or 3 (by nasal spray)
  • over six months of age and have one of the following conditions:
    • chronic respiratory disease, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), chronic bronchitis and cystic fibrosis. Also people with severe asthma who need to continuously or repeatedly use their inhaler, take steroid medication, or who have been admitted to hospital because of their asthma
    • chronic heart disease, including heart failure, congenital heart disease, and heart disease caused by high blood pressure
    • chronic kidney disease, such as kidney failure and people who have had a kidney transplant
    • chronic liver disease, such as cirrhosis and chronic hepatitis
    • chronic neurological disease, such as stroke, Parkinson’s disease, cerebral palsy, motor neurone disease or multiple sclerosis
    • diabetes
    • a suppressed immune system, due to disease or treatment. This includes people who have a damaged or no spleen, those people with HIV, people having chemotherapy or other immunosuppressant treatment, and those on high doses of steroid medication.
  • very overweight with a BMI over 40.
  • living in a long-stay residential care home or other long-stay care facility (not including prisons, young offender institutions or university halls of residence),
  • receive carer’s allowance or you are the main carer for an elderly or disabled person whose welfare may be at risk if you fall ill,
  • a frontline health or social care worker (this should be provided by your employer).

Pneumococcal Vaccination

A pneumococcal infection can affect anyone. However, some people are at higher risk of serious illness and can be given the pneumococcal vaccination on the NHS. These include:

  • babies
  • adults aged 65 or over – usually only one injection needed
  • children and adults with certain long-term health conditions, such as a serious heart or kidney condition

Please make an appointment with the nurse if you feel you should have it and we have not called you in. More information can be found on the NHS website.

Shingles Vaccination

A vaccine to prevent shingles, a common, painful skin disease is now available on the NHS to certain people in their 70s. The shingles vaccine is given as a single injection and you’ll only need to have the vaccination once. You will receive an invite from the practice if you are eligible.