Vaccinations & Immunisation

Vaccination is one of the most important things we can do to protect ourselves and our children against ill health. They prevent up to 3 million deaths worldwide every year.

Since vaccines were introduced in the UK, disease like smallpox, polio and tetanus that used to kill or disable millions of people are either gone or seen very rarely. Other disease like measles and diphtheria have been reduced by up to 99.9% since their vaccines were introduced.

However, if people stop having vaccines, it is possible for infectious disease to quickly spread again as immunity will decrease.

For a complete list of NHS vaccinations, please click here.

The NHS website relating to childhood immunisations provides lots of helpful information, assurance and guidance for parents who are preparing to vaccinate their children.

Shingles

Shingles is an infection of a nerve and the area of skin around it. It is caused by the herpes varicella-zoster virus, which also causes chickenpox.

Following chickenpox infection, the virus can lie dormant in the nervous tissue but may reappear following reactivation as shingles. It is possible to have shingles more than once.

The NHS Shingles Vaccination Programme provides a free vaccination to all patients aged between 70 and 79 years, and the vaccination is provided by your practice.  You will be invited for your vaccination, but if you are between 70 and 79 years and want to arrange your vaccine appointment, please contact the practice.

The shingles eligibility criteria has changed from 1st September 2023. To find out if you are eligible, please visit National Immunisation Programme (getshinglesready.co.uk) or call the surgery and speak to one of our receptionists who will use a shingles calculator to let you know.

As of 1st September 2023, those eligible are:

  • Age 50+ who are immunosuppressed
  • Age 65 on or after 1st September 2023 (if you were 65 before the 1st September 2023, you will be eligible when you turn 70)
  • Age 70-79 years old. You are no longer eligible from your 80th birthday.