Flu Vaccine Programme 2020/2021 Patient Information

This year’s flu vaccine programme is even more important than previous years. Whilst the flu vaccine won’t protect you against COVID-19, it will help protect you against flu, which is an unpleasant and potentially serious infection that can cause complications leading to hospital admission. Helping to protect against flu is particularly important with COVID-19 in circulation because people vulnerable to COVID-19 are also at risk of complications from flu.

This year our flu vaccine programme will be delivered in a slightly different way due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to social distancing requirements we will be offering flu vaccines by appointment only.

You will need to call our receptionists on a weekday after 10:00 to book your appointment slot.

We are only running clinics in the afternoon to avoid large numbers of patients in the waiting room.

It is really important that you attend on time but also that you don’t arrive any earlier than 5 minutes prior to your appointment. The reason for this is so that we can maintain social distancing in the waiting room and avoid large queues forming outside.

Please ensure you wear a face mask when you attend. You should not attend if you have symptoms of Coronavirus.

We request that you wear loose fitting clothing so that the clinician can easily administer the vaccine in an efficient manner. They need to be able to see/access the tip of your shoulder.

If there is inclement weather then please bring an umbrella or coat as you may need to wait outside if the waiting room is full although we will do our very best to avoid this.

Please go to the toilet beforehand as there will be limited toilet facilities and we are aiming to have patients in the building for as short a time as possible.

If you need a drink please bring this with you but only if absolutely necessary. There will be no drinking facilities.

Please do not ask the receptionist or clinicians about any other issues, e.g. booking other appointments, requesting results etc. Again, this is to reduce the time spent in the building and to reduce infection risk.

Please do not attend with large groups of family members/friends. If you have a mobility problem then you will be able to attend with someone to help you. Otherwise we request that other family members/friends to please wait outside whilst you have your vaccine.

When you arrive at the surgery you will need to check-in as usual on the surgery intercom. The front desk receptionist will then allow you into the waiting room. Please do not enter the waiting room until you have been screened on the intercom.

There will be a “Flu Marshall” to help supervise and assist in the waiting room in addition to the usual receptionist on the front desk. The “Flu Marshall” will be visible in the waiting room but they are not there to book you in. You need to book in via the intercom and the receptionist on the front desk will book you in as normal via the intercom.

Once you have booked in via the intercom you will need to take a seat and wait on the left hand side of the waiting room.

When you are waiting in the waiting room please take off coats and outer garments so that when you are called you will be ready for the vaccination.

We will be administering the vaccines by the nurses consulting rooms. If you would like to sit for the vaccination then please tell the clinician but we are aiming to vaccinate most people whilst standing. There will be two vaccine stations, Station 1 and Station 2. You will be allocated to one of the stations when you are called through from the waiting room so please ensure you go to the correct station.

You will then exit the building by the side door, please do not re-enter the waiting room after the vaccine. This is to maintain social distancing and reduce time spent in the building.

The clinician will have a “Flu Support” staff member to help them. The “Flu Support” staff and the “Flu Marshall” will be able to answer any queries you have and will also be able to aid those with mobility issues if required.

The aim is that you will only be in the building for 5 minutes in total.

Please visit the following links to find out more about the flu vaccine: