SHETLAND NHS BOARD NEWS RELEASE

Transcription

1 SHETLAND NHS BOARD NEWS RELEASE Seasonal flu immunisation The national seasonal flu immunisation campaign started on 1 st October. As in previous years, people in Shetland aged 65 and over, along with pregnant women and other younger people considered to be at high risk if they catch flu, are being urged to take up the offer of a free seasonal flu jab. All pre-school children aged 2 to 5 years and all primary school aged children are also offered the vaccination. Most of them will be able to have the nasal spray (Fluenz Tetra) instead of a jab, as will most secondary school aged children in the high risk groups. The nasal spray is more effective than the injection at preventing flu in children. Adults and secondary school aged children in risk groups (up to and including age 17), along with pre-school children will get their vaccination from their GP practice. Eligible patients should look out for local publicity or contact their own practice to find out how to get their flu jab. Some practices will send out appointments to individual patients. And, as in previous years, patients aged 65 and over also receive a standard letter sent on behalf of the Scottish Government. Flu vaccinations can be given anytime between October and March; but most are given in October and November before flu starts circulating in the community, which is usually in December or later.

2 Lerwick Health Centre patients who are eligible for the vaccination, and are aged 18 and over, will be invited to attend one of the flu fairs at Clickimin Leisure Centre. These will be held on Tuesday 17 th October and Tuesday 24 th October, 9.00am to 3.45pm. If you are invited to come to one of the flu fairs but cannot make it, then you can attend the other one, or contact Lerwick Health Centre to make other arrangements. Preschool children and secondary school aged children (up and including age 17) who are in a risk group must have an appointment at the Health Centre. The Bixter Health Centre is holding appointment only clinics for eligible patients registered with the practice on the afternoons of Wednesday 11 th October (adults only) and Fridays 20 th and 27 th October (adults and children).the Scalloway Health Centre is holding walk in clinics for eligible adults registered at Scalloway today, Wednesday 4 th October, from 3pm to 7pm and again at the same time on Wednesday 25 th October. There will be a clinic for the pre-school children registered with the practice to receive the nasal vaccine on Wednesday 1 st November from 2.30pm to 5.00pm. The GP practices in Brae, Unst and Yell are also planning clinics for their patients as in previous years. Eligible patients registered with these practices should look out for information locally as the clinic dates will be publicised very soon. If you need more information, please contact your own GP practice. Patients registered with the Hillswick practice will receive an appointment, or can contact the practice to make one. All eligible patients registered with the Levenwick, Walls and Whalsay GP practices should contact their own practice for an appointment.

3 Flu vaccination for primary school children has been arranged through the School Health Team. Consent packs have already been sent out to parents through the schools. If parents want their primary school aged child to have the flu vaccine they must return the consent to their child s school as soon as possible, if they have not already done so. Primary school children will receive their nasal flu vaccine in school between October and December. There will also be a separate clinic in October for primary school aged children who have certain medical conditions. A very small number of children cannot have the nasal vaccine and the School Health Team will arrange for them to have the injection instead, usually at their GP practice. If parents and carers have any questions about the school flu vaccination programme, they should contact School Health on If you are not sure if you, or your child, is eligible for the flu vaccine, then please contact your own GP practice. For primary school aged children, please contact the School Health Team as above. Dr Susan Laidlaw, Consultant in Public Health Medicine said: Each year there are slightly different strains of seasonal (winter) flu circulating in the community, this is why a new vaccine has to be given each year. The vaccine helps to protect people who are more vulnerable to flu and the complications of flu, including people over 65, those with certain medical conditions and pregnant women. Flu can also be very serious for children, particularly the youngest ones who have little or no immunity to the infection, which is why flu immunisation is offered to all pre-school and primary school aged children. Most children will have the nasal spray vaccine, as this works better in children than the injections. This year the nasal vaccine protects against four strains of flu virus. And the

4 nasal spray has the added benefit of making it as simple as possible for children to get vaccinated and be protected. All frontline NHS staff should also have the flu jab every year. The uptake amongst NHS Shetland staff increased last season, and more staff are being encouraged this year to get vaccinated to protect both themselves and their patients. NHS staff should contact the Occupational Health Department for further information: independent contractor staff should contact their employer. Social care workers are also eligible for the flu jab and should contact their employer to find out how to get it. Further information on the flu vaccination is available from the Immunisation Scotland website : END

5 NOTES TO NEWS EDITORS 1. The following groups of people are advised to have the seasonal flu vaccination: Everyone aged 65 and over Children over six months old and adults with any of the following: A serious heart or respiratory condition Kidney or liver disease Diabetes Lowered immunity due to disease or treatment Multiple sclerosis, other conditions of the nervous system or stroke Morbid obesity (BMI of 40 or over) Unpaid carers People living in care homes Pregnant women, and all women who become pregnant between now and March 2015 Children aged 2 to 11 years old (and still at primary school) 2. More details on the arrangements at individual GP practices in Shetland are attached. 3. There is further information on flu immunisation on the Immunisation Scotland website: 4. For further information please contact Corporate Services on / (Monday to Friday ). 4 th October 2017

6 ARRANGEMENTS FOR FLU VACCINATION IN GP PRACTICES Bixter Health Centre patients Appointments for Bixter patients who are eligible for the vaccination will be available at the following times, but must be booked in advance by phoning the practice. The clinics will be held at the Health Centre. Wednesday 11th October pm (adults only) Friday 20th October pm (children and adults) Friday 27th October pm (children and adults) Brae Health Centre patients Walk in clinics at the Brae Hall are being arranged for November. The dates and times will be confirmed soon so look out for further information locally. Or you can contact the Health Centre for more details. Lerwick Health Centre patients Flu fairs will be held at the Clickimin Leisure Complex for eligible patients, who are registered with the Lerwick Practice, between 9.00 and 3.45pm on the following dates: Tuesday 17 th Tuesday 24 th October (Surnames beginning with A-M) October (Surnames beginning with N-Z) No appointment is required. If you are invited to come to one of the flu fairs but cannot make it, then you can attend the other one, or contact Lerwick Health Centre to make other arrangements. Please note that these clinics are for patients aged 18 years and over only. Pre-school children and secondary school aged children (up and including age 17) who are in a risk group must have an appointment at the Health Centre.

7 Hillswick Health Centre patients Eligible patients will be sent an appointment by the practice, or can phone the practice to make an appointment to get their flu vaccination. Levenwick Health Centre patients Eligible patients should phone the practice to make an appointment for their flu vaccination. Scalloway Health Centre patients Walk in clinics for all eligible adults registered at Scalloway are being held on: Wednesday 4 th October 3.00pm to 7.00pm Wednesday 25 th October 3.00pm to 7.00pm And a clinic for Scalloway pre-school children aged 2-5 (for the nasal flu vaccine) is being held on: Wednesday 1 st November 2.30pm to 5.00pm Any patients who cannot attend any of the walk in clinics should make an appointment with one of the practice nurses. Unst Health Centre patients The Unst Health Centre is organising clinics for eligible patients in Unst and the dates will be available very soon. Look out for information locally or contact the practice for more details. Walls Health Centre patients All eligible patients registered with the Walls Health Centre should contact the practice to make their appointment for the flu vaccine.

8 Whalsay Health Centre patients Eligible patients registered with the Walls practice should contact the practice or look out for local publicity to find out how to get their flu vaccination. Yell Health Centre patients: The Yell Health Centre is organising clinics for eligible patients registered with the practice and the dates will be available very soon. Look out for information locally or contact the practice for more details. 4 th October 2017