In line with the Government’s announcement, the NHS is working to offer every adult the chance to book a COVID-19 booster vaccine by the end of the year. This means our practice is now prioritising the booster rollout.
As part of this, some of our routine services may be stood down for a short period of time to allow us to focus on protecting as many patients as possible. If you have an existing appointment, please attend it as usual unless we contact you.
We are still here for you if we feel you need to be seen urgently but would ask for patience as we support this key national priority over the coming weeks. We hope to be able to stand back up any services as soon as possible and will update this page as soon as we know more.
Please don’t forget there are many services available for you, depending on your condition. These include:
· Self-care – This is the best choice to treat minor illnesses and injuries such as hangovers, coughs, colds, grazes, small cuts, or sore throats. Many of these can be treated at home, simply with over-the-counter medicines and plenty of rest. For more information visit: www.nhs.uk · Pharmacy – Pharmacists can give advice on and treat a range of symptoms. They can support you with things such as diarrhoea, earaches, painful coughs, sticky eyes, teething and rashes. To find your nearest pharmacy call 111 or visit www.nhs.uk · NHS 111 – You can access 111 online or via the telephone. This is for any urgent but non-life threatening health concerns. They will be able to signpost you to the relevant service and provide advice where appropriate, or book you into an Urgent Treatment Centre.
· A&E / 999 – You should only attend A&E or dial 999 in a life-threatening emergency such as severe bleeding, breathing difficulties and severe chest pain.
If you are now eligible for your COVID-19 booster please book it as soon as you can. It is vital as many people as possible get boosted as soon as possible. Please do not contact the practice regarding your boosters, instead visit www.nhs.uk or call 119 to book an appointment or to find a walk-in clinic near you. You can also find out more about who is eligible, how the vaccine is given and other frequently asked questions. If you are a housebound patient, there is a community team which will be coming out to you to vaccinate you, so please do not contact your GP as the team will be contacting you. We also ask that you show our staff respect and patience in these challenging times. We are still here to help you, and are trying to do that in the best possible way. Please do not shout or swear at our staff who may not be able to give you the answer you were hoping for. This is beyond their control and they do not deserve to be treated in this way.
Flu Vaccines
You are now able to book an appointment for a flu vaccines online via your NHS App, or Patient Access.
Appointments for nasal flu vaccines for children aged 2 & 3 yrs old are also available to book online.
Who is eligible?
The majority of our eligible patients will have received a text message invitation, however if you haven't and you are unsure, check the criteria below:
- All patients aged 50and over (including those who will be 50 by 31st March 2022)
- If you are currently pregnant
- If you currently receive carer's allowance, or are the main carer of an older or disabled person who may be at risk
- If you live with someone who is more likely to get infections (such as someone who has HIV, has had a transplant or is currently having certain treatments for cancer, lupus or rheumatoid arthritis
- All frontline health or social care workers
- If you have any of the following long-term health conditions
- 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
If you already have a pre-booked face-to-face appointment at the practice, you can obtain your flu vaccine at this appointment. Just ask the clinician who is seeing you and they will accommodate this.
COVID Vaccinations
We are currently able to offer a limited number of COVID vaccinations. As and when appointments become available we will be inviting more patients, however if you cannot attend one of the clinics offered at the practice, we do advise that you seek an appointment at an alternative vaccination site in order not to delay having your booster dose. You can book an appointment at a vaccination site by calling 119 or via the NHS Website
COVID Vaccinations for children aged 12-15
Please see the attached letter from NHS Lincolnshire CCG for information regarding these vaccinations.
COVID Vaccinations for Children aged 12-15
COVID-19 Vaccination Exemption
If you are unable to be vaccinated for medical reasons, you can find information on how to apply for your COVID Pass here