Flu vaccinations 2022 – 2023

APPOINTMENTS ARE NOW AVAILABLE

Latest COVID-19 information

Flu vaccinations are still available – please call reception to discuss, alternatively most pharmacies still have stock remaining.

Adults 65yrs+ (DOB: on or before 31/03/1958)

Patients aged 65yrs+, or whose 65th birthday is on or before the 31st March 2023, can now book a ‘FLU Over 65yrs’ appointment.

These can be booked:

Via telephone – call reception on 01969 622391 any weekday preferably after 3pm
Whilst attending for another appointment (please ask reception)
Via a booking link sent via SMS (these will be sent out to all patients with a mobile number on our system before 9^th September, please wait until after this date to chase if you have not received one)

Our appointments are limited to the dates as above. Please book a date and time which is most convenient to you. Appointments usually book quickly, so the earlier you are able to book the more choice that will be available.

Adults 18-64yrs in a Clinical Risk Group (DOB: 01/04/1958 – 18yrs at time of appointment)

Patients aged 18-64yrs, who will not turn 65yrs by the 31^st March 2023, must be in a risk group as stated below to be eligible for a flu vaccine at the surgery:

Chronic respiratory disease – If this is Asthma you must take continuous or repeated inhaled or systemic steroids, or have had previous exacerbations requiring hospital admission to be eligible.
Chronic heart disease
Chronic kidney disease
Chronic liver disease
Chronic neurological disease
Diabetes
Immunosuppression – including any household members
Asplenia or dysfunction of the spleen
Pregnant women
Morbid obesity – Adults with aBMI ≥40 kg/m²
Carers
Frontline healthcare staff without employer led occupational health schemes

These patients can now book a ‘FLU 18 to 64yrs At Risk’ appointment. These can be booked:

Via telephone – call reception on 01969 622391 any weekday preferably after 3pm
Whilst attending for another appointment (please ask reception)
Via a booking link sent via SMS (these will be sent out to all patients with a mobile number on our system before 9^th September, please wait until after this date to chase if you have not received one)

Adults 50-64yrs NOT in a Clinical Risk Group (DOB: 01/04/1958 – 31/03/1973)

Patients aged 50-64yrs who are not in a risk group as above, are eligible for a free NHS flu vaccine after the 15^th October 2022, however this cannot currently be offered at this surgery at this time. We are sorry to not be able to offer this vaccine at the surgery from October but due to NHS England changing their guidance our anticipated stock does not include this age group.

We encourage you to contact a pharmacy/chemist to arrange your flu vaccine.

We will assess our stock at the end of October and will release a statement about availability at that time, if we have any spare we will make this available.

Children 2-3yrs (DOB: 01/09/2018 – 31/08/2020)

Children who were aged 2 or 3yrs on the 31^st August 2022 are eligible for a flu vaccine. These appointments are not yet available to be booked. Once they are available, text messages will be sent to all patients with a mobile number on record, and letters will be sent to the remaining patients. This information will also be updated.

Children 6m-17yrs in a Clinical Risk Group (Age 6m-17yrs at time of appointment)

Patients aged 6m-17yrs must be in a risk group as stated below to be eligible for a flu vaccine at the surgery:

Chronic respiratory disease – If this is Asthma you must take continuous or repeated inhaled or systemic steroids, or have had previous exacerbations requiring hospital admission to be eligible.
Chronic heart disease
Chronic kidney disease
Chronic liver disease
Chronic neurological disease
Diabetes
Immunosuppression – including any household members
Asplenia or dysfunction of the spleen
Pregnant women
Morbid obesity – Adults with aBMI ≥40 kg/m²
Carers
Frontline healthcare staff without employer led occupational health schemes

These appointments are not yet available to be booked. Once they are available, text messages will be sent to all patients with a mobile number on record, and letters will be sent to the remaining patients. This information will also be updated.

If your child is of school age, these will also be offered to them via the school programme. You can choose whether you would like them to have the vaccine with the school nursing team or at the practice.

If you are not able to attend any of the clinics here and your child is not of school age, please contact a pharmacy/chemist to arrange their flu vaccine.

Children Primary/Secondary School Age NOT in a Clinical Risk Group (DOB: 01/09/2006 – 31/08/2018)

All patients who are of school age on the 1^st September 2022 will receive a flu vaccine via the school nursing team. Each school will have their own schedule for this and catch up programme for those who miss the dates. Please contact your child’s school for information on this.

We are unable to offer any appointments to patients in this group at the surgery.

Housebound and assisted living

If you are registered as a housebound patient with the practice or live in assisted living accommodation, you will be contacted towards the end of September with a date for your visit.

How to book online

1.

Click the link in the message

2.

Add your date of birth, you can type in using dd/mm/yyyy format or select from a calendar then select done and submit.

3.

Scroll to the week of the clinics and select ‘show’ (unfortunately we can’t hide the weeks without clinics) e.g.

4.

Choose a slot and select “book”

5.

You will receive a summary, you need to select “book appointment” to confirm the booking:

6.

You have the option to print here

Due to Covid-19 restrictions we will not be able to run the drop in clinics as we have done in previous years.

Phase 1

During Phase 1 flu vaccines will be available to:

people aged over 65 and pregnant women
those with some pre-existing conditions deemed as ‘clinically vulnerable’ including patients who are on the Covid shielded patient list
carers recorded on our register of carers
other carers of vulnerable patients and household members of patients on the Covid Shielded patient list
children aged 2 or 3 on 31 August 2020 – that is, children born between 1 September 2016 and 31 August 2018
children aged 2 to 17 with long-term health conditions.

Patients eligible for a vaccination as part of phase 1 of the vaccinations programme are receiving letters to invite them to book an appointment at one of our flu vaccination clinics.

Phase 2

Phase 2 of the programme is for those aged between 50 and 64 who do not fall into the higher risk categories covered by Phase 1.

As you may have heard the government have announced that patients aged 50–64 years old will be eligible for a free flu vaccination from their GP practice as part of the flu vaccination programme.

This is a great opportunity for us to protect even more of our patients at a time where there are additional health risks associated with COVID-19 (coronavirus).

We urge that if you fall under this eligible category NOT to contact us for an appointment. We will contact you in due course as we need time to plan and order the vaccinations.

We urge anyone who’s in a clinical risk group to take up the vaccination offer when they receive it. It will give them a much-needed layer of protection and there is absolutely no evidence that getting a flu vaccine increases the risk of getting COVID-19.

Bookable clinics

For patients that qualify for the flu vaccination as part of Phase 1 we will be holding the following bookable clinics:

Adults
Leyburn Medical Practice – Saturday mornings throughout October. These clinics are mainly for Leyburn residents.
Middleham Key Centre – Tuesday 6th and 20th October afternoons.

Please try to book an appointment for the clinic nearest to where you live.

Children
Clinics will be held within surgery through September and October.

Notes

If you are attending the surgery for an appointment with a GP or a nurse during October we will try and arrange to give you the vaccination at the same time to save you having to come to a flu vaccination clinic.
Housebound – if you are under the care of the District Nurses you will be given your flu vaccination by a District Nurse during a visit. If you are not under the care of the District Nurses team please phone reception to discuss.
Kirkwood Hall residents will be seen Tuesday 22nd October as per their letter.
If you have your vaccination at a pharmacy they will provide confirmation for your medical record.
If you are eligible and do not want the vaccination please contact the surgery to advise you are declining the vaccination this year, this will ensure you do not receive any further communications.
Before the vaccination and on the day of your vaccination please follow the guidance within your invitation letter.
More information and advice is available on the NHS website: