2024 WINTER VACCINATION PROGRAMME

Please read the information below regarding vaccinations and clinics this winter season.

New RSV Vaccine – 1st September 2024

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is an enveloped RNA virus, in the same family as the human parainfluenza viruses and mumps and measles viruses. RSV is one of the common viruses that cause coughs and colds in winter. RSV is transmitted by large droplets and by secretions from contact with an infected person.

Infants under one year of age and the elderly are at the greatest risk of developing severe disease. While most RSV infections usually cause mild illness, infants aged less than 6 months frequently develop the most severe disease such as bronchiolitis and pneumonia, which may result in hospitalisation. 

From 1 September 2024, 2 new respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccination programmes will be introduced:

Programme for older adults aged 75 to 79 years old

All adults turning 75 years old on or after 1 September 2024 will be eligible for the routine programme and should be offered a single dose of the RSV vaccine. A one-off catch-up campaign for those already aged 75 to 79 years old on 1 September 2024 invites will be sent out at the earliest opportunity.  For more information follow this link: Your guide to the RSV vaccine for older adults - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Programme for pregnant women to protect infants

All women who are at least 28 weeks pregnant (the eligible cohort) on 1 September 2024, will be offered a single dose of the RSV vaccine. After that, pregnant women will become eligible as they reach 28 weeks gestation and remain eligible up to birth.  Invites will be sent out at the earliest opportunity.

Clinics will be made available dependant of vaccine delivery being received. 

Flu Campaign – Changes to 2024/25 Programme - Over 65's and At Risk aged 18-64

 This year eligible adults will be offered the flu vaccine from 3rd October 2024, which might be slightly later than in previous years. This is because the latest scientific evidence shows that protection from the flu vaccine decreases over time in adults. It is therefore better to have the vaccine closer to when flu typically circulates. 

Children's Flu Vaccinations

Children who are offered a flu vaccine on the NHS will start from September because their protection from the vaccine doesn’t decrease as quickly as it does in adults. The surgery vaccinates children who are 2 or 3 year olds or at risk. Other children will receive the vaccine via their schools.  

 Clinics will be made available once confirmation of vaccine delivery has been received. 

Flu 2024 Clinics

Clinic invitations are currently being sent to those eligible at risk patients over 18 and all over 65s. Please see booking links via text or email from Accurx. 

If you book a clinic appointment for a flu vaccination and are 18 and over and are eligible for COVID, we will offer you a vaccination at the same appointment if available..

Sedative Prescribing for Fear of Flying

The Village Surgery does NOT prescribe sedatives for fear of flying. This policy decision has been made by the GP Partners and is adhered to by all prescribers working in the practice. The reasons for this can be found below:

1) Diazepam is a sedative, which means it makes you sleepy and more relaxed. If there is an emergency during the flight it may impair your ability to concentrate, follow instructions and react to the situation. This could have serious safety consequences for you and those around you.

2) Sedative drugs can make you fall asleep, however when you do sleep it is an unnatural non-REM sleep. This means you won’t move around as much as during natural sleep. This can cause you to be at increased risk of developing a blood clot (DVT) in the leg or even the lung. Blood clots are very dangerous and can even prove fatal. This risk is even greater if your flight is greater than four hours.

3) Whilst most people find benzodiazepines like diazepam sedating, a small number have paradoxical agitation and in aggression. They can also cause disinhibition and lead you to behave in a way that you would not normally. This could impact on your safety as well as that of other passengers and could also get you into trouble with the law.

4) According to the prescribing guidelines doctors follow (BNF) Benzodiazepines are contraindicated (not allowed)  in phobia. Your doctor is taking a significant legal risk by prescribing against these guidelines. They are only licensed short term for a crisis in generalised anxiety. If this is the case, you should be getting proper care and support for your mental health and not going on a flight.

5) Diazepam and similar drugs are illegal in a number of countries. They may be confiscated, or you may find yourself in trouble with the police.

6) Diazepam stays in your system for quite a while. If your job requires you to submit to random drug testing you may fail this having taken diazepam.

We appreciate that fear of flying is very real and very frightening. A much better approach is to tackle this properly with a Fear of Flying course run by the airlines and we have listed a number of these below.

Easy Jet www.fearlessflyer.easyjet.com Tel 0203 8131644

British Airways www.flyingwithconfidence.com  Tel 01252 793250

Virgin www.flyingwithoutfear.co.uk  Tel 01423 714900

We were very sad to see Dr Katharine Solomons leave the practice on the 12th May after 24 years of service. We thank her for all she has done for our practice and patients and wish her well for the future. We are glad to be able to announce to you that from the end of June, Dr Solomons' patients will be looked after by Dr Emma Wright who will be joining the team as a salaried GP working Wednesday, Thursday and Friday in the Harpenden surgery.

We are also delighted to inform you that Dr Louise Plumtree, who many of you will have already met when she was working as a locum for Dr Dass has joined us as a GP partner and will be working in both surgeries all day Monday and Tuesday and on Wednesday mornings. Dr Plumtree has a particular interest in dermatology. 

We have also recently welcomed Hannah Moor to our nursing team. Hannah has a lot of experience and is a wonderful addition to the nursing team. She will be working in both Harpenden and Wheathampstead surgeries. 

We are keen to vaccinate as many patients as possible who have not previously had the MMR (Measles/Mumps/Rubella) vaccine in line with the governemnt's 'MMR for all' campaign. This is particularly important when travelling and for patients born before MMR was introduced and after the illnesses were commonly circulating (approx born between 1970-1988). For more information please see: MMR for all: general guide - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) and contact the surgery if you would like an appointment.

It is with great sadness that we advise that Dr Ingram is retiring after 34 years at the practice. He has been a joy to work with and we wish him all the best for his retirement. Dr Ingram and Dr Whiteford's patients will be allocated a new GP from our current partners following Dr Wall's decision not to take the partnership position. Please be patient whilst we complete this allocation and you will be informed of your named GP asap via text message.

This practice is delighted to be signed up to the Green Impact for Health Toolkit and is actively taking steps to reduce our carbon footprint. The climate emergency is also a health emergency, and health care in the UK contributes 5.4% of the UK's carbon emissions. We need to enhance the health of our current population without compromising the health of future generations, and this means operating within the sustainable boundaries of the planet. Fortunately most of the solutions for the planet also make our health better - for example eating a mainly plant-based diet, engaging in active travel and exercise in nature, avoiding smoking, reducing pollution etc all enhance our health and reduce our need for medications, with further benefits to the NHS, your health and the carbon footprint of healthcare. Take a look at www.greenerpractice.co.uk to learn more about this.

Today the Harpenden Vaccination Centre has administered 50,000 vaccinations! We are so proud of this and we would like to say 'thank you' to all our wonderful volunteers for your incredible efforts towards this amount.

FAQ