Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Programme 2023/24

Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Programme 2023/24

The first of our Flu vaccination clinics are live and available for our eligible patients to book.

The flu clinics will be running throughout autumn/winter starting in September.

We will also be holding a flu clinic on Saturday 7th October 2023 (appointment required)

Please call reception on 0151 424 3101 to book your flu jab or alternatively, book online via the NHS app or Patient Access. We would advise that you call in the afternoon, as you can appreciate our phone lines can be very busy in the morning.

Those eligible for a free NHS influenza vaccination in the surgery during the 2023 – 2024 season are:

The flu vaccine is given free on the NHS to people who:

• are 65 and over
• have certain health conditions (Please see below for the health conditions that qualify)
• are pregnant
• are in long-stay residential care
• receive a carer’s allowance, or are the main carer for an older or disabled person who may be at risk if you get sick
• live with someone who is more likely to get infections (such as someone who has HIV, has had a transplant or is having certain treatments for cancer, lupus or rheumatoid arthritis)
• frontline health or social care workers
• Children born between 01/09/2019 and 31/08/2021 will receive a nasal flu vaccination administered by the practice. All other children eligible will have their vaccination administered by their school.

Flu vaccine for people with long-term health conditions

The flu vaccine is offered free on the NHS to anyone with a serious long-term health condition, including:

• respiratory conditions, such as asthma (needing steroid inhaler or tablets), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), including emphysema and bronchitis
• diabetes
• heart conditions, such as coronary heart disease or heart failure
• being very overweight – a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or above
• chronic kidney disease
• liver disease, such as hepatitis
• neurological conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease, motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis (MS), or cerebral palsy
• a learning disability
• problems with your spleen, for example, sickle cell disease, or if you have had your spleen removed
• a weakened immune system as the result of conditions such as HIV and AIDS, or taking medicines such as steroid tablets or chemotherapy

Talk to your doctor if you have a long-term condition that is not in one of these groups. They should offer you the flu vaccine if they think you’re at risk of serious problems if you get flu.

Flu vaccine if you’re pregnant

You should have the flu vaccine if you’re pregnant to help protect you and your baby.

It’s safe to have the flu vaccine at any stage of pregnancy.

Find out more about the flu vaccine in pregnancy

Covid Autumn Booster Vaccination 2023

People at greatest risk of serious illness from Covid, including care home residents, over 65s and frontline health and social care workers, are eligible for an autumn vaccine booster.

Here’s everything you need to know.

Am I eligible for an autumn Covid booster?

The following people are eligible for an autumn Covid booster:

• Residents in care homes for older adults
• All adults aged 65 years and over
• People aged 6 months to 64 years in a clinical risk group, as defined in tables 3 and 4 of the Covid-19 chapter of the UKHSA Green Book on Immunisation (see below for clinical risk groups).
• frontline health and social care workers.
• People aged 12 to 64 years who are household contacts of people with immunosuppression, as defined in the UKHSA Green Book
• People aged 16 to 64 years who are carers, as defined in the UKHSA Green Book, and staff working in care homes for older adults

This is because the risk of severe Covid continues to be strongly associated with increasing age and underlying health conditions.

When is the booster available and how do I book an appointment?

• Vaccinations will begin on 11 September for those most at risk, including adult care home residents and people who are immunosuppressed.
• From 18 September, the NHS will start to invite people in priority order of risk and those eligible will be able to book an appointment on the National Booking Service.

How does the JCVI define a clinical risk group

Tables 3 and 4 of the Covid-19 chapter of UKHSA the Green Book defines who is in a clinical risk group.

Clinical risk groups for individuals aged 16 years and over include:

• Chronic respiratory disease
• Chronic kidney disease
• Chronic neurological disease, such as stroke and individuals with cerebral palsy, profound multiple learning disabilities, Down’s syndrome, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, dementia, Parkinson’s disease, motor neurone disease and related or similar conditions.
• Diabetes
• Those with immunosuppression
• Asplenia or dysfunction of the spleen
• Morbid obesity
• Severe mental illness
• Younger adults in long-stay nursing and residential care settings
• Pregnant women

Clinical risk groups for those aged under 16 years include:

• Chronic respiratory disease
• Chronic heart conditions
• Chronic conditions of the kidney, liver or digestive system
• Chronic neurological disease
• Endocrine disorders
• Immunosuppression
• Asplenia or dysfunction of the spleen
• Serious genetic abnormalities that affect a number of systems
• Pregnancy

Why should I get an autumn booster?

• Vaccines help to protect against severe illness, hospitalisations and deaths from Covid.
• People who received an autumn booster vaccine last year were around 53% less likely to go to the hospital with Covid in the two to four weeks after getting vaccinated, compared to those who didn’t get a booster.
• Last year’s autumn booster programme saw almost 84% of over-80s vaccinated and more than 73% of 65-70-year-olds, protecting the most vulnerable and helping us to live with Covid.