NHS Flu Vaccination Service

We are delighted to offer the NHS Flu Service free of charge to eligible patients

NHS Flu Vaccination Service

We provide the same vaccination service you would receive at your GP surgery.

We have put together some FAQs to help you understand this service.

COVID-19 Information

The ongoing Coronavirus situation will mean changes to the way we provide our vaccination service this year:

  • We will not be providing a walk-in service this year. The requirement for the pharmacist to wear full PPE makes a walk-in service impractical.
  • We will be operating clinics with an appointment time. The dates of these clinics will be announced when we receive confirmation of the delivery dates of our vaccines.
  • Provisional dates for clinics are first week September for over 65 vaccination and second week September for under 65 vaccination.
  • A mask or face covering will be mandatory to receive vaccination.
Who is eligible for a FREE NHS Flu vaccination?

The following patients are eligible for a FREE NHS Flu vaccination. Please note we can only vaccinate over 18s.

  • 65 years and over (or will be 65 by 31/March/2021)
  • 50 (or will be 50 by 31/March/2021) - 64 years AND none of conditions below apply
  • Chronic (long term) respiratory disease, such as severe asthma, COPD
  • Chronic heart disease, such as heart failure
  • Chronic kidney disease at stage three, four or five
  • Chronic liver disease
  • Chronic neurological disease e.g. Parkinson’s disease, motor neurone disease or learning disability
  • Diabetes
  • Immunosuppression, a weakened immune system due to disease e.g. HIV or treatment e.g cancer
  • Asplenia or splenic dysfunction
  • Morbid obesity (BMI ≥40kg/m2)
  • Pregnant women (including those women who become pregnant during the flu season)
  • People living in long-stay residential care homes or other long-stay care facilities
  • Carers
  • Household contacts of immunocompromised individuals
  • Social care workers
  • Hospice workers
  • Household contacts of those who are on the COVID-19 shielded patient list
  • Employee of Portsmouth City Council/Gosport Borough Council/Portsmouth CCG
Do I need to book an appointment?

Please see above. Due to COVID-19, this year an appointment will be needed at one of our clinics.

Can children be vaccinated?

Currently Pharmacies can only vaccinate patients over 18 years of age. Younger children and adolescents will need to make an appointment with their GP practice.

Will you tell my GP I've been vaccinated?

Yes. This is a requirement of the NHS Flu vaccination service. Our computer system will securely notify your GP practice at the time of your vaccination. This enables your medical records to be updated and should ensure you do not receive "flu reminder" letters or telephone calls from your surgery.

Can I have a vaccination if I'm not eligible for a FREE NHS one?

Yes you can. We can vaccinate you privately for a fee of £12. This will be a quadrivalent vaccine.

How long will the vaccination take?

The vaccination itself is very quick! We also need to do some brief data entry on computer so your GP is notified. After your vaccination, we are obliged to observe you for 10 minutes to ensure you do not have an adverse (allergic) reaction to the vaccine. In total, allow approximately 20 minutes.

When do you start vaccinations?

The Flu vaccination programme runs from 1st September to the 31st March each year. The Department of Health recommends that vaccination starts as soon as vaccine is available from manufacturers.

We order vaccines a year before the season starts to ensure we receive our vaccines as early as possible in September. We will post updates to our homepage as the flu season approaches. If you use our app, we will notify you when the vaccines arrive.

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