Billinge Medical Practice Flu Vaccinations 2020/21

This year, we have opted to conduct Adult flu vaccinations at the Totally Wicked Stadium (Langtree Park), St Helens in The Red V Café Bar. During the current Pandemic, this will allow us to offer timely, safe vaccinations in an environment where social distancing can be upheld. You will be vaccinated by a Nurse from Billinge Medical Practice and we have access to your medical records just the same as if you attended the surgery. All patients attending the Stadium have a temperature check prior to entering the building. The feedback from the patients who attended the first clinic has been very positive and we were impressed with 100% attendance from all booked appointments.

If you would like to arrange an appointment there, please text YES, your name and date of birth to 07754094249 and a member of our team will be in contact shortly (number for flu clinic only).

PLEASE NOTE: face coverings MUST be worn. Unfortunately, if you are not wearing a mask, you will be unable to receive your vaccination at this venue. Please arrive to your appointment on time. Do not arrive any later/earlier than your appointment and wear short sleeves. There is ample parking available at the rear of the Stadium including disabled parking spaces. Upon arrival, please follow advice/directions given by marshals. If you begin to show symptoms of COVID-19 such as; a constant, new or worsening cough, high temperate or a loss or change in smell/taste, please DO NOT attend your appointment. Additionally, if you or somebody in your household have tested positive for COVID-19 or have arrived home from a country that isn’t in the travel corridor within the last 14 days, please DO NOT attend.

We have over 4000 people eligible for Flu vaccination (not including the possible introduction of 50 – 65 year olds not in an at risk group) including 200 patients who are housebound and require home visits. Our planned clinics at Langtree Park are the preferred option to receive a timely appointment in a safe environment while enabling services to continue at the Practice safely for those who need them.

There are different flu vaccines for different age groups, hence the clinics are organised according to vaccine availability for each group. Further details about the flu vaccine is available at https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/flu-influenza-vaccine/

We are currently offering appointments to all of our patients who are over 65 (or will be over 65 before 31/3/21).

The vaccines for those people under 65 who are in an at risk group are being delivered to us by the vaccine manufacturer on a staggered schedule from September to November. These clinics are planned and patients will be invited in due course. If you haven’t yet been contacted and would like to arrange an appointment at Langtree Park, please follow the text instruction as above.

If you are pregnant and are attending an antenatal appointment with the midwife at Billinge or Orrell, we will endeavour to administer your vaccine whilst you are attending your antenatal appointment (with the exception of 28/9 as all nurses are at the Flu clinic at Langtree Park)

An additional eligible group this year are household contacts of those on the NHS Shielded Patient List, or immunocompromised individuals, specifically individuals who expect to share living accommodation with a shielded patient on most days over the winter and therefore for whom continuing close contact is unavoidable. Unfortunately, it is not possible for us to run a computer search for this group so we need them to self identify and contact us by text following the same instruction as above.

Children who are eligible in the healthy 2 & 3 year cohort will receive further information in due course from the practice with regard to booking appointments.

Those people in all age groups who are currently eligible for the flu vaccine and have planned appointments with the Nurse or HCA in the coming months for regular treatment e.g. B12 injections, INR tests etc. do not need to make a separate appointment. Please inform the receptionist when booking your routine appointment that you also want to have your Flu Vaccine at the same appointment.

There have been discussions nationally around vaccination of people aged 50 – 65 who are not in an at risk group. We are awaiting further advice about the supply of these vaccines from the NHS and have been informed that further information will be provided and that the vaccines will not be available for this age group until November/December. We will provide further information on this when we are able.

If you are unable to attend the above venue and are not housebound please text CLOSER, your name and date of birth to 07754094249 and a member of our team will be in contact (number for flu clinic only). For those unable to attend who want to receive the vaccine from the practice, we will collate a list and a member of our team will be in contact to discuss date and alternative venue.

Please ensure that we have your current mobile contact number as text messaging is the quickest way for us to provide timely information. You can update your details on our practice website using our change your personal details form online.

Finally, thank you for your patience and understanding in supporting our new ways of working during these unprecedented times.