COVID-19 Vaccine Autumn Booster Final JCVI advice today confirms that the COVID-19 Autumn booster should be offered to the following groups:

 • Residents in a care home for older adults and staff working in care homes for older adults 

 • Frontline health and social care workers 

 • All adults aged 50 years and over 

 • Persons aged 5 to 49 years in a clinical risk group, as set out in the Green Book 

 • Persons aged 5 to 49 years who are household contacts of people with immunosuppression 

 • Persons aged 16 to 49 years who are carers, as set out in the Green Book. 

 A full copy of the advice can be found here.

Covid 19 Boosters

The government has announced the roll out of boosters for the over 50’s (see attached letter).  Anyone who received a Covid vaccine in Phase 1 of the programme (Groups 1 – 9) will be offered a booster vaccine a minimum of 6 months after completion of the primary course.

Boosters will not be available until after we have received the updated national Patient Group Directive and National Protocol from PHE which we are expecting on September 21^st.

Co-administration of Flu and Covid 19

The JCVI have approved co-administration of flu and Covid 19 vaccine where this is operationally possible.  The Federation Winter Vaccination Group is working on a protocol on the supply and transfer of flu vaccines from practices into hubs and the supply, transfer and administration of Covid 19 and flu vaccines to care homes. 

Invitation Process

Patients will be invited to the vaccine hubs centrally by the GP Federation via a text link. A telephone number will also be included so that patients who are not IT confident can call and book.  Patients who have not booked will also be followed up by the call and recall team as well as those without mobiles to text. Patients should therefore await their invite and be encouraged not to call the practice.

Vaccinations for Children

The majority of healthy children and young people aged 12-15 will be vaccinated in schools and the attached letter was circulated to all practices earlier this week. There are two cohorts of 12-15 year olds that will be invited into specialist clinics (those that are immunosuppressed and those that are household contacts of immunosuppressed) and additional locations and dates for these are in the process of being finalised and will be communicated in due course.

It is not possible to identify centrally household contacts of patients that are immunosuppressed and therefore practices are asked to identify these patients and then invite them when the clinics have been confirmed.

Flu vaccine

Practices who have received supplies of vaccines should begin vaccinating patients without delay while awaiting an update on co-administration

Prioritisation of patient groups

Patients will be called for vaccination in line with JCVI Groups 1 – 9 so that the most vulnerable and those who had their vaccination course completed earliest are offered boosters first.

There is an urgent need to offer co-administration of Covid 19 and flu vaccines in care home and planning is underway, led by the Winter Vaccination group to establish a team to do this on behalf of practices. 

Housebound patients

The GP Federation is working with the borough team, CLCH and the Local Pharmaceutical Committee to agree a process and workforce for co-administration of vaccines to the housebound.  Timing will depend on delivery of the new Pfizer vaccine which can be reconstituted before it is transported which is not possible with the current Pfizer vaccine.

COVID-19 vaccination guide for childbearing, pregnant or breastfeeding women

COVID-19 vaccination guide for adults leaflet

What to expect after your COVID-19 vaccination leaflet

COVID-19 vaccination and blood clotting collection

COVID-19 vaccination and blood clotting – patient guide

Your GP practice is working hard on getting as many people vaccinated against coronavirus as possible. We remain open but we are currently having to prioritise urgent issues only.

• If you have a health issue that isn’t urgent, please use the nhs website www.nhs.uk or app for information or speak to your local pharmacist. You can also use e-consult which is available through our practice website.
• If you need urgent care or advice we are here to help, don’t hesitate to contact us.
• We will be back to normal operation soon, thank you in advance.

Due to the coronavirus outbreak, how you contact us will be different.

Appointments are being delivered face-to-face, online and over the telephone.

All appointments are by TELEPHONE in the first instance to reduce footfall related to COVID-19.

Please do not come to the surgery unless you have an appointment.

If you are asked to come into the surgery for a face-to-face appointment, please remember to wear a face covering. Measures are in place to keep you safe from infection during your visit to the surgery.

This is to limit face-to-face contact whenever possible and help stop the spread of coronavirus.

Your GP practice is open and if you need to see your GP, please ring us on 02089695151 or visit our website.

Our opening hours are 8am-6.30 pm Monday to Friday. We are opened until 8.30 pm on Thursday as we continue to offer exteded hours surgery service. You can also call NHS 111.

Please use e-Consult below for online consultations.

If the telphone consultation is not answered doctor will call back within the session if patient informs the practice within one hour of missed appointment that the call can be taken.