Flu vaccination:
Reminder: adjuvanted trivalent: for

• age 65 & over (ie 65y by 31.03.2020)
• appointments are available to book for this vaccine
• if you are in this age group & have not yet been vaccinated please make an appointment with us
  note: vaccination in pharmacies takes income from general practice

Quadrivalent vaccine has arrived: for patients under 65 in a risk category ie:

• who are pregnant
• with chronic (long term) respiratory disease such as severe asthma or COPD
• with coronary heart disease, heart failure, diabetes, liver or kidney disease, stroke, TIA & chronic
  neurological disease
• who have a weakened immune system due to treatments that suppress the immune system eg
  chemotherapy & conditions such as HIV
• who are carers or frontline health or social care workers
• children aged over 6 months to 2 years with a long term condition
• if you are in this age group & have not yet been vaccinated please make an appointment with us
  note: vaccination in pharmacies takes income from general practice

Nasal: for children: still not available but more information to follow when nasal vaccine is available
Overview:

• aged between 2 & 3 on 31.08.2019 (but not 4 years old) are eligible for vaccination in general
  practice
• at risk (long-term health conditions)due to asthma, diabetes etc to age 17

notes:

• all other children who are in reception & years 1 to 6 will be receiving nasal flu at school
• nasal spray flu vaccine is a "live" vaccine but the viruses in it have been weakened so cannot cause
  flu
• therefore, it is not suitable for all children including those who are severely immunocompromised
• where appropriate these children will be offered the inactivated injectable flu vaccine

Flu strains change, therefore, the vaccine varies from year to year & we advise patients in any of the
above categories to take advantage of the annual campaign to protect themselves from flu this winter.

If you or your child is in any of the above groups please phone the surgery on: 01326 558714 to book
your appointment.

Reminder: the shingles immunisation programme:

• the age cohorts of patients are eligible to receive this vaccine are:
  • patients become eligible on their 70th or 78th birthday
  • any patient who was previously eligible but has not had it
• eligibility ceases on the day of your 80th birthday
• we offer vaccination opportunistically and will be contacting patients in the new 2018/2019 groups
  but should you wish to please phone the surgery as above to book your appointment
• this vaccine is contraindicated & will not be given to individuals who are immunosuppressed
• further information is available on www.shinglesaware.co.uk

Increased access to general practice [IAGP]:

• we are participating in a national incentive to offer evening and weekend appointments to make it
  easier for you to see a doctor, nurse or other healthcare professional across our locality
• South Kerrier locality comprises Helston Medical Centre, Meneage Street Surgery, Mullion &
  Constantine Group & St Keverne
• as you are probably aware from October 2018, Meneage Street Surgery has provided routine
  evening GP & nurse appointments each Tuesday from 18.30-20.00
• from October 2019 some Saturday & Sunday appointments are available across the locality
• one of the practices in the locality will offer pre-bookable appointments each Saturday & Sunday

Extended hours clinic at Meneage Street Surgery:

• we also offer a clinic between 18.30-20.00 each Tuesday
• this will provide a variety of services

Reminder re accessing out of hours medical care:

• general practice core hours are 08.00 - 18.30 Monday to Friday
• Out of hours: call NHS 111
• Out of hours care is provided by Kernow Health
• NHS 111 is available for 24 hour confidential advice

Should you have any questions or require further information about anything in this update
please contact the surgery.