Practice News
HAPPY VACCINATION DAYS
Before the vaccination clinics really get cracking, we thought it might be a good idea to remind everyone of a few helpful tips and tricks to help everything run nice and smoothly, if you’re coming into one of the practices for that all-important vaccination. We’ve had some great clinics and many staff say they are some of the happiest days of the year, with lots of laughterand good humour. Just in case this is your first time, here’s how to get the most from your autumn vaccination experience!
- Please only attend if you have booked an appointment.
- Please come as near as possible to your appointment time to avoid congestion in the car parks and to keep things flowing.
- Please feel free to wear a mask if you wish to.
- Please try to wear easily-removable clothing. Our clinics move pretty quickly so being arm-ready helps everyone.
- If you have any concerns about your vaccinations, please let us know as soon as you arrive.
- Please do not attend your appointment if you are unwell on the day of your booking. You will not be able to contact the practices on Saturdays via phone. If you are able to cancel in advance, that is really helpful.
- Use SystmOne Online or NHSApp to cancel an appointment as an alternative to phoning.
- The vaccination clinics are solely for the purpose of vaccinations. If you do have other medical queries, please may we ask you to contact your practice during the working week, unless the query is specifically vaccination-related.
FLU & COVID BOOSTER PROGRAMME READY TO LAUNCH IN OCTOBER
With the Covid booster and flu vaccination programme being launched nationally in October, we've spent some of the summer getting everything organised at our practices. We are delighted to say that letters and invitations are now going out by text, inviting people in the eligible groups to attend our clinics in October. The invitations are being sent in batches according to age and vulnerability, so if you haven't yet received your invitation, you will do soon.
All the information is on our Covid and Flu Vaccination page, with dates and venues and those very important Vaccination Booking Lines - one for Holsworthy & Hatherleigh and one for Stratton.
Click HERE for the Covid and Flu Vaccination page; or download a copy of our newsletter which includes much of the essential information HERE
RSV - RESPIRATORY SYNCYTIAL VIRUS - VACCINATIONS
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.
We are currently inviting people in the 75 to 79 year-old age range - 75 on or after 1st September 2024 - to attend for vaccination. We are calling people in small batches according to age group and will be doing that throughout the year. It is a year-long campaign so invitations will be going out regularly.
Pregnant women who are 28 weeks gestation or over will also be offered the vaccine through their hospital maternity services. Please speak to your midwife if you have any concerns about vaccination.
If you wish to know more about RSV and the vaccination click HERE