Vaccinations & Immunisation (Including Travel)
These are usually carried out by the practice nurses or Health Visitor by appointment.
They fall into four general categories, childhood, adult, travel and influenza, each of which is dealt with below.
In general the practice will contact you when further vaccination or immunisation protection is recommended but please do not hesitate to contact the practice for an appointment if you consider that you need additional protection.
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.
Childhood
The practice will contact all parents of children regarding the recommended programme of immunisation and vaccinations for all children up to the age of 18 as follows:
| 2 months old |
Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough),
polio and Hib (DTaP/IPV/Hib) |
| |
Rotavirus vaccine |
| |
Pneumococcal vaccine(PCV) |
| |
Meningitis B vaccine |
| 3 months old |
Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough),
polio and Hib (DTaP/IPV/Hib) |
| |
Meningitis C |
| |
Rotavirus vaccine |
| 4 months old |
Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough),
polio and Hib (DTaP/IPV/Hib) |
| |
Pneumococcal vaccine(PCV) |
| |
Meningitis B vaccine |
Around 13
months old |
Measles, mumps and rubella (MMR)
|
| |
Hib/Meningitis C vaccine |
| |
Pneumococcal vaccine (PCV) |
| |
Meningitis B vaccine |
3 years and
4 months to
5 years old |
Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough)
and polio (dTaP/IPV or DTaP/IPV)
|
| |
Measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) |
13 to 18
years old |
Diphtheria, tetanus, polio (Td/IPV)
|
| |
Meningitis ACWY |
| |
Measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) |
| Girls 13-18 |
HPV vaccine |
You will automatically receive notification when immunisations are due. If your child has missed a planned immunisation for any reason, please contact our health visitor as soon as possible afterwards so that a ‘catch-up’ immunisation may be arranged.
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.
Adult
Tetanus Boosters are recommended for all adults every ten years. Stocks are held in the surgery. If you require a tetanus booster, please make an appointment with the nurse.
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 in the Notice Board and Medical News pages of this website under News, together with posters on the surgery noticeboard.
Influenza & Pneumoccal
Annual Influenza and Pneumoccal Vaccinations are recommended for many people at the start of winter for whom influenza and/or pneumonia can be threatening diseases.
Clinics will commence late autumn each year, for those over 65 or with a recognised risk factor, such as chronic bronchitis or heart trouble. Dates for these Clinics will be displayed in the surgery and on the web site Notice Board. Please contact reception to make an appointment at one of these clinics.
The practice will endeavour to contact all patients considered to be at risk. There will also be notices in the Surgery and on the Notice Board page of this web site. There will also be national press and media advertising.
The opportunity to have a Flu Vaccination is open to everyone, however, so if you wish to be vaccinated, contact reception to make an appointment at one of the Flu Vaccination Clinics.
Travel Immunisations/Vaccinations
These are usually carried out by the practice nurse who should be consulted at least 6 weeks in advance of travel initially by making an appointment at the travel clinic. The travel clinic takes place on a Wednesday at the Eastwood Health and Care Centre. Please bring your completed travel questionnaire to this appointment. You can download it from this site or pick one up from the surgery. The Travel Form doc is here.
You may be required to collect a prescription prior to attending for the vaccination(s). A charge will be made for certain vaccinations not covered by the NHS. Please note that if you are visiting 4 or more countries, or are backpacking, you may have to visit a specialist Travel Clinic who will be able to assess your vaccination requirements.
For guidance on the worldwide requirement for protection when travelling go to http://www.traveldoctor.co.uk/tables.htm (Be sure to look at the key and other information below the map before clicking on the map.)