These are usually carried out by a practice nurses by appointment. They fall into four general categories: Children, Adult and Travel.
In general the practice will contact you when further vaccination or immunisation protection is recommended (except where travel related) but please do not hesitate to contact the practice for an appointment if you consider that you need additional protection.
From time to time situations may develop or new vaccinations become available that may make additional vaccinations desirable. Typically these will get media attention. We will endeavour to provide information for patients on the Notice Board and Medical News pages of this website under News, together with posters on the practice noticeboard.
If you have any questions about vaccinations or immunisation please contact reception in the first instance. If necessary, they will arrange for you to speak with one of the nurses or doctors.
For more information on schedule of immunisations please see the NHS Choices website.
Updated: 11/03/2022
Childhood
The practice will contact a parents of children regarding the recommended programme of immunisation and vaccinations for all children up to the age of 18.
Babies that are due immunisations will be invited to attend and will be given an appointment time.
While the practice is sympathetic to the views of a number of parents regarding some vaccinations and will endeavour to accommodate the wishes of parents as far as possible it is the professional view of all doctors in the practice that the benefits of the recommended programme of immunisation and vaccinations for children far outweigh any potential risk.
Influenza
Children aged two and three will be given the vaccination in the Practice, usually by a Practice Nurse. Children who are four years old are also eligible for flu vaccination provided they were three on 31 August 2018.
The Practice has written to those families.
Please see the NHS website for more information.
Updated: 01/10/2018
Adult
Tetanus
Tetanus Boosters are not normally recommended. Please see the NHS website or contact the Practice if you believe you need a Tetanus booster.
Shingles Vaccines and Who's Eligible
A vaccine to prevent shingles, a common, painful skin disease is available on the NHS to certain people in their 70s. The shingles vaccine is give as a single injection. Unlike the Flu jab you'll only need to have the vaccination once and you can have it at any time of the year, though many people will find it convenient to have it at the same time as their annual flu vaccination.
Shingles can be very painful and uncomfortable. Some people are left with pain lasting for years after the initial rash has healed. And shingles is fatal for around 1 in 1,000 over-70s who develop it.
The shingles vaccine is routinely available to people aged 70 or 78 on the 1st of September each year. You become eligible for the vaccine on the 1st of September each year after you have turned 70 or 78 and remain eligible until the last day of August the following year.
In addition, anyone who was eligible for immunization in the first three years of the programme but has not yet been vaccinated against shingles remain eligible until their 80th birthday.
Anyone aged 80 and over is unsuitable to have the shingles vaccination on the NHS because it seems to be less effective in this age group.
You do not need to do anything as the practice will invite you to the surgery for the vaccine when you become eligible. If you can't go to the appointment you're offered, contact Reception to arrange a new appointment.
It is important that you do not leave it too late to have the vaccination as we may only be able to give it to you before the end of August of the year following eligibility. For more information go to the NHS website or here.
Updated: 29/03/2022
Hepatitis B Vaccine
Hepatitis B vaccination is not routinely available as part of the NHS vaccination schedule. It's only offered to those thought to be at increased risk of Hepatitis B or its complications. GPs are not obliged to provide the Hepatitis B vaccine on the NHS if you're not thought to be at risk.
There will be a charge for the vaccine if you want it as a travel vaccine, or you may be referred to a travel clinic so that you can get vaccinated privately. The current cost of vaccine (in 2015) is around £40 per dose.
For more information please see the NHS website
Updated: 25/09/2017
Influenza
Seasonal flu vaccination remains an important public health intervention and a key priority for 2022/23 to reduce morbidity, mortality and hospitalisation associated with flu at a time when the NHS and social care will be managing winter pressures, potentially including further outbreaks of COVID-19.
In 2022/23, the NHS flu vaccination programme will be offered to patient groups eligible in line with pre-pandemic recommendations (please refer to the section entitled eligibility below).
Eligibility
People eligible for flu vaccination are based on the advice of the JCVI and Department of
Health and Social Care. Those eligible for NHS flu vaccine in 2022/23 are:
- those aged 65 years and over
- those aged six months to under 65 years in clinical risk groups
- all children aged two to 10 (but not 11 years or older) on 31 August 2022 (i.e. up to
school Year 6) - pregnant women
- those in long-stay residential care homes
- carers
- close contacts of immunocompromised individuals
Vaccination is also recommended for frontline healthcare workers and social care workers.
People that were eligible in the 2021/22 season but that are not included in the groups
for 2022/23 are:
- those aged 50 to 64 years
- secondary school children in Years 7 to 11 (i.e. between 11 and 15 years of age
Click here for more information.
Updated: 11/03/2022