We offer a range of clinics and services here at Forge Close Surgery for all your vaccination needs and advice.
Childhood Immunisations
One of the most important things that a parent can do for their child is to make sure that they have all their routine childhood vaccinations. It’s the most effective way of keeping them protected against infectious diseases.
Ideally, children should have their jabs at the right age to protect them as early as possible and minimise the risk of infection.
Find out which jabs your child needs, when they need them, and what the benefits of each jab are.
Please call the surgery to make an appointment.
For more information please visit the websites below:
Useful links
- NHS Choice – Vaccinations for you and your family
- Childhood Immunisation Schedule
- National Immunisation Schedule
Flu Immunisation
Seasonal flu is a highly infectious illness caused by a flu virus.
The virus infects your lungs and upper airways, causing a sudden high temperature and general aches and pains.
You could also lose your appetite, feel nauseous and have a dry cough. Symptoms can last for up to a week.
We offer ‘at risk’ groups the flu vaccine at a certain time each year to protect you against the flu virus.
You may be invited for a flu jab if you are:
- over 65 years of age
- pregnant
or have:
- a serious heart or chest complaint, including asthma
- serious kidney disease
- diabetes
- lowered immunity due to disease or treatment such as steroid medication or cancer treatment
- if you have ever had a stroke
- If you have any queries please contact the surgery.
For more information please visit the websites below:
Useful links
Pneumococcal Vaccine
The pneumococcal vaccine (or ‘pneumo jab’ or pneumonia vaccine as it’s also known) protects against pneumococcal infections.
Pneumococcal infections are caused by the bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae and can lead to pneumonia, septicaemia (a kind of blood poisoning) and meningitis.
Read more about why the pneumococcal vaccination is needed.
Who should have the pneumococcal vaccine?
A pneumococcal infection can affect anyone. However, some people need the pneumococcal vaccination because they are at higher risk of complications.
These include:
- all children under the age of two
- adults aged 65 or over
- children and adults with certain long-term health conditions, such as a serious heart or kidney condition
Read more about who should have the pneumo jab.
How often is the pneumococcal vaccine given?
Babies receive the pneumococcal vaccine as three separate injections, at 2 months, 4 months and 12-13 months.
People over-65 only need a single pneumococcal vaccination which will protect for life. It is not given annually like the flu jab.
People with a long term health condition may need just a single one-off pneumococcal vaccination or five-yearly vaccination depending on their underlying health problem.
Travel Clinic
The practice nurse provides a comprehensive travel service. We provide NHS vaccines for Hepatitis A, typhoid and diphtheria, tetanus and polio. We give anti-malaria advice and will direct you to where you can obtain malaria medications.
We ask you to book 6 weeks in advance for travel advice as several appointments may be required, and each family member travelling needs a separate appointment. Your first appointment must be 6 weeks before you travel. Book Early!
Travel which is less than 6 weeks, you may have to go to a private travel clinic, which we can then provide you a print out of your current immunisation records.
Process: You will be booked a face to face appointment with the nurse initially to do a risk assessment and give you travel advice; if you need any vaccines, she will give you in this appointment, and book you any follow-up appointments. Prior to the appointment you will be sent a text or email with pre-travel questions, this must be answered and sent back to the surgery before the appointment, so the nurse can check if we have enough vaccinations for you and your family.
Please note: if you are not able to attend the appointment, please cancel and rearrange as soon as possible (unless it’s 6 weeks before you travel, then please go private). If you do not attend the appointment for your travel vaccines, we will not re-book this and you will have to go private travel clinic to get the recommend vaccines.
We do not provide immunisations against Rabies, Yellow fever, or Japanese Encephalitis, but we can advise if we recommend them and these can then be obtained from private travel clinics. Meningitis ACWY for the Haj pilgrimage is NOT provided at this surgery – however Meningitis ACWY vaccine for students under the age of 25 is.
Hepatitis B vaccination for travel or occupational cover is NOT provided. In some circumstances Hepatitis B vaccine can be issued, but must be discussed by a doctor or nurse.
Useful links