Important Patient Information

Flu Vaccination Programme 2020

Dear Lakeside Patient,

In light of the risk of flu and COVID-19 co-circulating this winter, the national flu immunisation programme is absolutely essential to protect vulnerable people and support the resilience of our local community and our health and care system.

The way we deliver the flu immunisation programme will need to be very different this year to ensure we can safely provide the vaccination to more patients than ever before.

At Lakeside Healthcare at Yaxley we have developed a process that ensures we keep you safe and minimise the time you need to spend waiting for your vaccination.  For this to work effectively we need you to work with us as much as possible.

The purpose of this leaflet is to explain how this year’s programme will work at Lakeside Healthcare at Yaxley and how you can help our staff to help you and other patients in our community.

Clinic dates and times

Our clinics will run on the following dates and times – all clinics will be strictly by invitation only

Patients aged 65 and over

• Saturday 12^th September 2020
• Saturday 19^th September 2020

Patients aged 18 – 64 in a clinical ‘at risk’ groups only

• Saturday 26^th September 2020
• Saturday 3^rd October 2020

Patients aged 50 – 64 (including 49 year olds, who will reach age of 50 on or before 31/03/2021) not in clinical ‘at risk’ groups

• Wednesday 16^th December 2020

Appointments

In order to observe social distancing we need to limit the numbers of patients on the premises at any one time.  To do this we are running clinics that are broken down into 15 minute blocks of time.  Each clinic will be restricted to a limited number of patients with access strictly by invitation only.  We will send you an appointment and ask that you work with us by treating this as a priority and do everything possible to attend at the time slot you are offered.

We aim to run some of the flu vaccination clinics outside in the practice car park to minimise the risk of infection.  In the event of bad weather the clinic will be held inside.

Before your appointment

If you have any symptoms of COVID-19 you cannot have the flu vaccination, please DO NOT attend the surgery even if invited.  Instead please contact us and we will either rebook your appointment

or add you to a waiting list.

If you have been confirmed as not having COVID-19, but have a temperature relating to another illness you cannot have a flu vaccine.  Please DO NOT attend the surgery. Instead please contact us, when your symptoms have settled, and we will rebook your appointment.

Wherever possible we ask that patients attend the surgery alone as space in the building is strictly limited to enable us to maintain social distancing.  Those patients who need to be accompanied by a carer are asked to attend with a maximum of one carer.

Before heading to the surgery for your appointment please:

• Ensure you have proof of your appointment with you (letter, email or text message)
• Wear loose fitting clothing
• Have a face covering.  Patients without face coverings will only be permitted to enter the surgery if they meet one of the agreed exclusion categories.
• Prepare to wait outside, bring an umbrella and wear suitable clothing. We are taking measures to minimise the need to queue outside but this could still be a possibility.
• If you are driving to the surgery, we would also suggest you leave home in sufficient time to allow time to park.

Arrival for appointment

Please arrive at the surgery at the time of your appointment.  This will help to minimise the need for queuing outside the practice.  When arriving, head to the practice car park (pedestrian access only – no parking will be possible).  Access to the surgery will be strictly limited to patients with evidence of a flu vaccination clinic appointment.

A member of staff will ask you the following COVID-19 screening questions.

• Do you or any member of your household/ family have a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19?
• Are you or any member of your household/family waiting for a COVID-19 test result?
• Have you travelled internationally in the last 14 days?
• Have you had contact with someone with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19, or been in isolation with a suspected case in the last 14 days?
• Do you have any of the following symptoms?
  • high temperature or fever
  • new, continuous cough
  • a loss or alteration to taste or smell

If the answer to any of these questions is ‘yes’ or, if you have a temperature, you will not be able to be vaccinated and will be asked to contact the surgery when it reopens to arrange an alternative appointment.

Please use the floor markings in and outside the building to ensure you observe social distancing and help keep our staff and other patients safe.

Your vaccination

• Please maintain social distancing at all times
• If you have mobility issues please let a member of staff know
• Whilst making your way to the vaccination station please remove any outer clothing, this will help to prevent delays
• If you require the Pharmacy please join the queue outside after your vaccination – access will not be possible inside

This appointment is strictly for a flu vaccination only.  If you need to speak to a healthcare professional about any other issue, please contact the surgery to make a separate appointment.

After your vaccination

Once you have had your vaccination all patients are asked to follow the directional signage set out in the building. This will be different to the usual exit.

We thank you in advance for your co-operation in keeping our staff and patients safe during our flu vaccination clinics.

Yours sincerely, Dr Peresh Gela

Published: Sep 3, 2020