Flu and COVID Vaccinations 2022/23

Flu Vaccinations

Flu vaccinations are now available to book for eligible patients.  If the practice has your mobile number, a text invitation will be sent to you to invite you to book.  Once you have received your invitation, you can book your vaccination online using the NHS App or Patient Access app, or by calling the practice on 01749 812310 (please call after 10am).

When attending your appointment, please consider wearing a face mask and maintain social distancing when in the practice.  Please be prepared by wearing a short sleeved top so the vaccinator can easily reach the top of your arm.

The Patient Information Leaflets for the flu vaccinations are available here:

AQIV Patient Information Leaflet - for patients aged 65 & over

QIVc Patient Information Leaflet - for patients aged 18 to 64

Eligible Patients

  • Aged 6 months to 65 years in clinical risk groups*
  • Pregnancy women
  • Aged 65 and over
  • From 15 October 2022 - Aged 50-64 not in a clinical risk group
  • Carers
  • Close contacts with immunosuppressed people
  • Housebound patients
  • Residents of long stay care or nursing homes
  • Locum GPs
  • Frontline health and social care staff without employer led occupational health:
    1. Registered care or nursing home
    2. Registered domiciliary care provider
    3. Voluntary managed hospice
    4. Direct budget (personal budgets) and/or personal health budgets, such as Personal Assistants

 

*At risk groups include:

  • chronic respiratory condition: asthma, COPD, bronchitis
  • chronic heart disease, including heart failure
  • chronic kidney disease, stages 3, 4 & 5
  • chronic liver disease
  • chronic neurological disease, eg Parkinsons or Motor Neurone Disease
  • learning disability
  • Diabetes
  • Splenic dysfunction or asplenia
  • Weakened immune system due to disease (eg HIV/AIDS) or treatment (eg cancer)
  • Morbidly obese (BMI 40 & above)

COVID Vaccinations

Eligible patients are now being invited for their COVID Autumn Booster.   You will receive a text message to invite you to book, and our vaccination clinics for COVID are at Wincanton Community Hospital.

A Letter to our Patients

Dear Patient

We are currently planning our 2022-23 Flu and Covid-19 Vaccination Programme.   We are planning to vaccinate patients in the following eligible cohorts as directed by the Joint Committee for Vaccinations and Immunisations (JCVI):

  • Residents in a care home for older adults and staff working in care homes for older adults
  • Frontline health and social care workers
  • All those 65 years of age and over
  • Adults aged 16- 64 in a clinical risk group

There will also be a flu vaccination programme for children who are aged 2-3 on 31st August 2022 and all primary school aged children from Reception to Year 6 will be offered a vaccine in school.

In addition, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) will be widening the offer of the free flu and covid vaccines to more eligible groups. These additional groups will only be eligible once the most vulnerable, including the previously announced pre school and primary school children, those aged 65 years and over and those in clinical risk groups, have been offered the jabs.

The additional groups set to be offered the vaccinations in England will be:

  • All adults aged 50 – 64 years
  • Secondary school children in Years 7, 8 and 9, who will be offered the vaccine in order of school year (starting with the youngest first). These vaccines will be given in school.

The Rural Practice Network (Bruton, Milborne Port, Millbrook – Castle Cary, Queen Camel and Wincanton GP surgeries) collaborated successfully delivering the Covid-19 vaccination programme from 2020 – present.   Therefore, we have decided to work collaboratively to provide flu and covid vaccinations to those eligible within our practice populations this year. We plan to administer both vaccines at the same time reducing the number of appointments and inconvenience for our patients. We will be offering a variety of dates, locations, day time, evening and weekend appointments.

We are awaiting our confirmed vaccine delivery dates in order to finalise our plans and schedule clinics.  We will be contacting you at the end of August/beginning of September to make an appointment for you.  We appreciate that patients have a choice of where they receive their vaccination, but we do hope you will choose to have it with us as we strive to keep this service local and within primary care to benefit our local communities.

Thank you,

The Team at Bruton Surgery