NHS vaccinations
It’s important that you have the vaccinations you need to keep you safe and to minimise the risk of infections. We offer a number of vaccinations at our surgery. Your GP will be able to let you know what vaccinations you need. You can also find more information about vaccinations and when to have them on the NHS vaccination schedule.
Spring COVID booster: eligible groups, clinic dates and other info.
The National Spring Covid Booster vaccination campaign starts on 1st April. Texts are now going out inviting those who are eligible to book in for a Covid booster vaccination.
Patients who are eligible this spring are:
- Anyone aged 75 and over
- People living in a care home for older people
- Anyone 18 to 74 who is SEVERELY IMMUNOSUPPRESSED
Guidance on conditions that mean someone is severely immunosuppressed can be found on the gov.uk website HERE
Please note: medically ‘at risk’ patients who are not immunosuppressed, are NOT eligible for the Spring Boosters.
If you are turning 75 years of age between April and June this year, you do not have to wait until your birthday.
CLINIC DATES at Neetside Surgery
Tuesday 1st April
Thursday 3rd April
Friday 11th April
Please call us non-urgently after 11am to book in.
Full information on the Spring booster campaign can be found HERE
As we have not been commissioned to provide Covid Vaccinations to young people who are aged 5 to 17, other local clinics, or schools will be offering these. We will post these on our website and Facebook page when we are notified.
The National Booking Service (NBS) for clinics elsewhere, will be available only after 25th March for bookings after 1st April. You are not able to book at Neetside surgery through NBS.
Childhood immunisation
It’s important to make sure that your child has all of their routine childhood vaccinations. It’s the most effective way of keeping them protected against infectious diseases.
Ideally, children should have their vaccinations at the right age to protect them as early as possible and to minimise the risk of infection.
Your GP will be able to tell you what vaccinations children need. You can also find more information about children’s vaccinations and benefits on the NHS website.
Flu vaccinations
Seasonal flu is a highly infectious illness that’s caused by a flu virus. The virus infects your lungs and upper airways, and can cause a high temperature, aches and pains. A flu vaccination can help limit your risk of getting the flu.
Our surgery offers flu vaccinations to patients every year in the autumn. We usually offer two routine vaccinations – one for patients under 65 years and another vaccine for patients over 65 years.
You can contact the surgery to find out more about flu vaccinations or visit the NHS website.
National programme details are usually available at the beginning of September each year.
To find out more about the Flu vaccination programme click here
Travel vaccinations
We offer routine vaccinations and general advice to our patients travelling abroad who may need to be vaccinated.
We recommend booking an appointment to see your GP and help plan for your trip. It may take up to eight weeks for a full course of vaccinations, so please contact us well in advance to give yourself plenty of time if you’re planning to go abroad where you’re required to be vaccinated.
Some vaccinations are ordered on a private prescription and not on the NHS, which means that these will be charged for. Your GP will be able to tell you which vaccinations you need, when you need them and if you will need to pay for them.
You can book an appointment to see your GP using our online system. You can also find useful information about travel vaccinations on the Travel vaccinations page on the NHS website.
Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)
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, occasionally causing bronchiolitis in young children and pneumonia. From September 2024 we are now able to offer vaccinations to those who are at highest risk of serious illness from RSV infection.
Now the seasonal flu and Covid vaccination clinics have been held, we will resume inviting people in the 75 to 79 year-old age range - 75 on or after 1st September 2024 - to attend for vaccination. This is a year-long programme so we will be contacting people who are eligible throughout the year.
Pregnant women who are 28 weeks gestation or over will also be offered the vaccine. If you fall into this category, please speak to your midwife.
If you wish to know more about RSV and the vaccination click HERE
Shingles
A vaccine to prevent shingles, a common, painful skin disease has been offered to those in 70-79 age group. This is now changing with an increased roll out to those who are younger.
From 1 September 2023:
- Those aged 70-79 will still be able to get the shingles vaccine from their GP practice. They will either be offered one dose of Zostavax or two doses of Shingrix (6 to 12 months apart)
- All those aged 50 and over with a weakened immune system will be offered two doses of the Shingrix vaccine by their GP practice (8 weeks to 6 months apart).
- Those turning 65 and 70 will be offered two doses of the Shingrix vaccine (6 to 12 months apart) by their GP practice as they become eligible (eligibility will go down to 60 years old in September 2028).
Research has shown that once people turn 80 it is no longer effective.
For NHS information regarding shingles vaccinations click HERE
Dependant on age, the shingles vaccine is usually given as a single injection into the upper arm. You can have it at any time of the year.
The shingles vaccine is expected to reduce your risk of getting shingles. If you do go on to have the disease, your symptoms may be milder and the illness shorter.
Shingles can be very painful and uncomfortable. Some people are left with pain lasting for years after the initial rash has healed. Shingles is also fatal for around 1 in 1,000 over-70s who develop it.
It's fine to have the shingles vaccine if you've already had shingles. Once you've had it, you don't need to have another. The shingles vaccine works very well in people who have had shingles before and it will boost your immunity against further shingles attacks.
The surgery will be reminding patients that are eligible for this vaccine to make an appointment with the Practice Nurse. If you think you are eligible for a Shingles vaccination and haven't yet been contacted, please get in touch.
Pneumonia
A wealth of information about pneumonia and the vaccine you can have against it can be found at Pneumonia Aware
Like the shingles vaccination it is usually a once-only vaccination.