COVID SPRING BOOSTER CAMPAIGN 2024
We have started the spring booster vaccinations for the housebound and will be commencing the spring booster campaign at the surgery from 2nd May. The clinics are booking up fast already.
The criteria for the spring booster is:
· Residents in care homes for older adults
· Adults aged 75 years old and over and those who turn 75 years old by 30 June 2024
· Individuals aged 6 months and over who are immunosuppressed, however we are only vaccinating 18 years and over at the surgery
· Individuals with primary or acquired immunodeficiency states at the time of vaccination due to conditions including:
· Immunosuppression
Immunosuppression due to disease or treatment, including patients undergoing chemotherapy leading to immunosuppression, patients undergoing radical radiotherapy, solid organ transplant recipients, bone marrow or stem cell transplant recipients, HIV infection at all stages, multiple myeloma or genetic disorders affecting the immune system (e.g. IRAK-4, NEMO, complement disorder, SCID).
Individuals who are receiving immunosuppressive or immunomodulating biological therapy including, but not limited to, anti-TNF, alemtuzumab, ofatumumab, rituximab, patients receiving protein kinase inhibitors or PARP inhibitors, and individuals treated with steroid sparing agents such as cyclophosphamide and mycophenolate mofetil.
Individuals treated with or likely to be treated with systemic steroids for more than a month at a dose equivalent to prednisolone at 20mg or more per day for adults.
Anyone with a history of haematological malignancy, including leukaemia, lymphoma, and myeloma.
Those who require long term immunosuppressive treatment for conditions including, but not limited to, systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, scleroderma and psoriasis.
Some immunosuppressed patients may have a suboptimal immunological response to the vaccine (see Immunosuppression and HIV).
We are contacting eligible patients, but if you feel you fit into any of these categories and you haven’t received an invite please contact the surgery.
Measles
As you may have seen from the news and social media there are a rising number of measles cases in the UK, including Birmingham and the Solihull area.
Measles is very contagious and can cause serious illness and complications. Vulnerable groups include unvaccinated individuals, pregnant women, immunocompromised patients and the chronically ill. These groups are more at risk of developing severe complications.
Measles is a preventable illness and all children should receive 2 doses of the MMR vaccine (Measles, Mumps and Rubella) at age one year and at around three and a half years old. Adults can also receive the MMR vaccine if they have not had the illness as a child (this will ensure natural immunity) or have not had 2 measles containing vaccines if they are concerned about their risks.
If your child has had 2 doses of MMR then it is very unlikely that they will catch measles.
Please see the NHS Website: Measles - NHS (www.nhs.uk) for further information.
If you think your child may have measles or has been in close contact with someone who has suspected or confirmed measles do not attend the surgery.
Please telephone for advice. You may need to isolate for up to 14 days if you or your child is unvaccinated.
Please book an appointment with one of our nurses if your child is unvaccinated or has not had 2 doses and you would now like them to have the MMR.
If you are unsure if you or your child has had 2 doses of measles containing vaccines, please check children’s red vaccination book or email your queries to the surgery Balsallcommon.practice@nhs.net
Please do not telephone the surgery for vaccination queries as this can block the telephone lines.
As your GP practice, we have been asked by NHS England to provide you with access to your full primary care medical record going forward from 31st October 2023. This will be via the NHS app and the NHS website if you have a suitable NHS login.
Please note this access is only to your prospective primary care record. This does not include hospital records or results of investigations requested anywhere else as these are not available on the primary care record.
There is likely to be sensitive and personal information within your medical record.
We are supportive of providing you with access to your record, but we wish to do this safely, and make you aware that this is happening so that you can opt out if you so wish.
It is important that you understand the risks that may be involved in having such confidential data, either on your smartphone with the NHS app installed, or online if other people might have access to that information through your devices.
The government has been clear that if a patient does not wish to have access, then we do not have to provide it.