NHS vaccinations

It's important to make sure that your child has all of their routine childhood vaccinations. It's the most effective way of keeping them protected against infectious diseases.

Ideally, children should have their vaccinations at the right age to protect them as early as possible and to minimise the risk of infection.

Your GP or nurse will be able to tell you what vaccinations children need. You can also find more information about children’s vaccinations and benefits on the Vaccinations page on the NHS website.

Seasonal flu is highly infectious illness that’s caused by a flu virus. The virus infects your lungs and upper airways, and can cause a high temperature, aches and pains. A flu vaccination can help limit your risk of getting the flu. 

Our surgery offers flu vaccinations to patients. We offer two routine vaccinations – one for patients under 65 years if you are clinically at risk and another vaccine for all patients over 65 years.  

You can contact the surgery to find out more about flu vaccinations or visit the Flu Influenza vaccine page on the NHS website.  

We only provide the vaccinations available on the NHS. These are

• Cholera
• Diphtheria, polio and tetanus booster
• hepatitis A – some combined vaccines, such as combined hepatitis A and B
• typhoid

We can provide you with a list of your current vaccinations or you can view them on the NHS App.

It may take up to eight weeks for a full course of vaccinations, so please contact us well in advance to give yourself plenty of time if you're planning to go abroad where you're required to be vaccinated.

We do not provide non-NHS travel vaccinations. 

You can find useful information about travel vaccinations on the Travel vaccinations page on the NHS website.

The MenB vaccination programme was introduced in the UK in 2015 and is part of the routine infant immunisation schedule. This means children born before 2015 would not have received this vaccine routinely.

Teenagers (in school years 9 and 10) are offered the MenACWY vaccine, which protects against meningococcal groups A, C, W and Y. This vaccine does not provide protection against MenB.

There is currently no NHS catch-up programme for the MenB vaccine. However, parents who wish for their child to receive it can access it privately through some larger pharmacies, travel clinics or private providers such as Sulis Hospital.

If you have missed the school vaccination for MenACWY you can receive it at the surgery up to the age of 25. Once you turn 25 you are no longer eligible.

Meningitis

Anyone becoming unwell with symptoms of meningitis and septicaemia, should seek medical help urgently at the closest Accident and Emergency Department or by dialling 999. Early treatment can be lifesaving.

Meningococcal disease (meningitis and septicaemia) is an uncommon but serious disease caused by meningococcal bacteria. Very occasionally, the meningococcal bacteria can cause serious illness, (inflammation of the lining of the brain) and septicaemia (blood poisoning), which can rapidly lead to sepsis.

The onset of illness is often sudden and early diagnosis and treatment with antibiotics are vital.

Early symptoms, which may not always be present, include:

• A rash that doesn’t fade when pressed with a glass
• Sudden onset of high fever
• Severe and worsening headache
• Stiff neck
• Vomiting and diarrhoea
• Joint and muscle pain
• Dislike of bright lights
• Very cold hands and feet
• Seizures
• Confusion/delirium
• Extreme sleepiness/difficulty waking

Meningitis - Symptoms - NHS