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:

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

We need at least 6 weeks notice of any foreign travel

We offer a basic travel service.  If you are travelling within 6 weeks, or are travelling to multiple foreign countries you will need to go to a private travel clinic.  There are many private clinics available, a google search will easily find them.  You can also visit the NHS travel information website at : www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk where you will find the most up to date information and advice.  The following travel vaccinations are free on the NHS in Scotland:

• diphtheria, polio and tetanus (combined booster)
• hepatitis A
• typhoid
• cholera