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The National 2020/21 Flu Campaign
This year it truly is a CAMPAIGN. The biggest influenza vaccination programme ever planned will be starting in September 2020, and with the Covid-19 pandemic very much with us, will be much more challenging to deliver than in previous years. The first session dates are September 5th and 12th and October 10th and will take place at the Barton Family Practice site.
Those most at risk of flu are also most vulnerable to Covid-19. Therefore, we will be starting with patients aged over 65 on the NHS Shielding Patient List before moving on to the other patient groups. We shall be contacting shielding patients, but others should call the surgery to book an appointment. As a reminder, below is a list of those patients that are eligible for the NHS programme:
- All patients aged 65 and over on 31 March 2021 (i.e. born on or before 31 March 1956).
- Pregnant women
- All patients aged six months to 64 years in the usual at risk groups – chronic respiratory, heart, kidney, liver, neurological diseases and diabetes, people on immune suppressants, and absence or dysfunction of the spleen (includes coeliac disease)
- All children aged two to ten on 31 August 2020
- Carers
- Close contacts of immunocompromised individuals
- Locum GP’s
- Health and social care staff employed by a registered residential care/nursing home, registered domiciliary care provider, or a voluntary managed hospice provider.
This year the list of eligible people has been expanded to include:
- Children of Year 7 age in secondary schools (aged 11 on 31 August 2020)
- Household contacts of those on the NHS Shielded Patient List. These are people sharing living accomodation and therefore in close contact with a shielded person on most days over the winter
- Health and social care workers employed through Direct Payment (personal budgets) and/or Personal Health Budgets, such as Personal Assistants, to deliver domiciliary care to patients and service users
- All patients aged 50-64 years of age
If you are unsure about your eligibility please contact the surgery. Note that the Government plans that the 50-64 year age group will be vaccinated in November and December.
You can be reassured that we shall be delivering the programme in line with infection prevention and control guidance. We shall be maintaining social distancing and hygiene measures so please try to adhere to the following:
- Be prepared to stand for up to 20 minutes (if you cannot do this then let reception know when you are booking your appointment so that alternative arrangements can be made)
- Arrive at the surgery as close as possible to your appointment time
- Wear your face mask or face covering
- Maintain 2 metre distancing
- Avoid talking except to identify yourself
- Have your temperature checked
- Use the hand gel provided
- Accept an information leaflet about the influenza vaccine and please read it
- Follow the one way system and instructions from staff
- Once in the building have your preferred upper arm and shoulder exposed at the ready
- Leave the building promptly through the designated exit
Please remember that anyone displaying symptoms of COVID-19, or who is self-isolating because they are confirmed COVID-19 cases or are contacts of suspected or confirmed COVID-19 cases, should not attend until they have recovered and completed the required isolation period.
We are confident, that if we all follow the above measures, we can have a safe and efficiently run flu campaign. This is obviously to everyone’s benefit, and I thank you in advance for your cooperation.
New Doctors
We are thrilled to announce that Drs Hannah Missen and Stuart Simon have joined the Practice as partners. They were both trainee GPs at Barton and we have got to know them well. They bring enthusiasm, new ideas and a passion for caring for patients to the team. We are really happy that they are staying on, and wish them a long and fulfilling career at Barton.
Best wishes from Barton Family Practice and Stay Safe.
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