Welcome to the first of our monthly updates on patient information, developments and services at Sunbury Health Centre. This month we are focusing on the Flu Vaccination Programme and Covid Vaccines. Although there has been excellent take up of both flu and covid booster vaccinations, this year’s Flu campaign has been subject to some confusion.
In the summer we were advised that the government’s preference was to co-administer both flu and covid boosters in one appointment. Following the success of covid vaccinations via the North West Surrey Integrated Care Services (NICS) sites in Walton, Staines and Chertsey we again participated in this arrangement to deliver the flu and covid booster vaccines in one appointment.
Unfortunately, when patients were invited to have a covid booster via text message from NICS, patients were also texted by the NHS national booking system for covid jabs at other external sites that were not participating in the NICS programme. Patients who booked through the NHS national system, were not offered flu vaccinations at their appointment. Many patients then went to pharmacies who were offering flu jabs.
Consequently, from what should have been a simple system, there was huge confusion for our patients, resulting in far more work for the practice and NICS to bring some patients back again to have their flu jab. Despite this, at the time of writing, nearly 5,000 flu vaccines have been given to Sunbury patients between NICS and local pharmacies, in line with our expected numbers.
The covid vaccination programme has been successful with over 13,000 patients having had their 1st covid vaccine, 6,000 have now had a booster and with the NHS being asked to accelerate the booster programme by the end of the year.
Whilst we haven’t delivered flu vaccines at the practice, our staff have been at the vaccine sites on their days off and weekends, supporting the vaccination programmes.
We would urge anyone who hasn’t yet had their covid vaccine or are eligible for a flu vaccine to book a vaccine appointment when contacted.