Covid-19 Booster

As we move into spring, protection from any earlier COVID-19 vaccination you may have had will be starting to wane.

COVID-19 can still be very dangerous and even life threatening, particularly for older people and those with a weakened immune system.

Thankfully, for those who are more likely to become seriously ill from COVID-19, the NHS offers a free vaccine in the spring to top up their protection. This was previously known as the ‘Spring Booster’.

The vaccine has saved countless lives, prevented thousands from needing to go to hospital and helped us to live with the virus without fear or restrictions.

Eligibility for the COVID-19 vaccination this spring

 The eligibility criteria is the same as for spring 2024, and similar to spring 2022 and spring 2023, with the addition of immunocompromised people in younger age groups:

• adults aged 75 years and over
• residents in a care home for older adults
• individuals aged 6 months and over who have a weakened immune system

The eligibility is the same across the 4 nations of the UK (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland).

Age-based criteria

Those who are aged 75 and over can come forward to top up their protection this spring. If you are 74 but turn 75 years old by 17 June 2025, you don’t have to wait for your birthday to come forward.

Eligibility for residents and staff in care homes

Those who are resident in care homes for older adults are also eligible. Carers and staff in care homes are not eligible, this is because the vaccination programme this spring is targeted towards providing protection to those most vulnerable to severe disease.

Those with a weakened immune system

We understand that having a weakened immune system (immunosuppression) is a lot less straightforward than the other criteria. Looking online can cause even more confusion, so we've listed some of the groups here:

• organ, bone marrow or stem cell transplant patients
• those being treated with systemic steroids for more than a month
• those living with HIV
• those receiving immunosuppressive or immunomodulating biological therapy, including children who are about to receive therapy
• those undergoing chemotherapy or radiotherapy
• those who require long-term treatment for immunosuppression
• those with a history of haematological malignancy including chronic leukaemia, lymphomas, and leukaemia
• those with genetic disorders affecting the immune system

While this list summarises some major groups, it does not cover everything. Please check online at nhs.uk/get-vaccine to see if you are eligible.

Booking the spring COVID-19 vaccine

You should come forward rather than waiting for the NHS to contact you this year.

The National Booking System opens on 25 March to book appointments from 1 April: simply visit: nhs.uk/bookcovid.

For local clinics, both walk-in and bookable, visit: https://staywell-bob.nhs.uk/vaccine-clinics/?utm_medium=email&utm_name=&utm_source=govdelivery 

If you or someone you know can’t get online, book by calling 119 free of charge, where a translator is available if needed.

Getting your COVID-19 vaccine is very convenient, with thousands of appointments available across the country every day, usually at pharmacies and hubs.

While having your spring vaccine around 6 months after your last dose is the usual timeframe, you can have it as soon as 3 months after a previous COVID-19 vaccine dose. If you are eligible, you can get protection from a spring COVID-19 vaccination even if you have not taken up a COVID-19 vaccine offer in the past.

Most people do not need extra vaccinations to make up for any they have missed, but your doctor may advise a further dose if you have a severely weakened immune system.

It is important that everyone who is eligible takes up the offer this spring before the vaccination programme closes on 17 June 2025.

From 1 September 2024, those who turn 75 and those age 75 to 79 will be eligible for a free vaccine to protect them from respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). RSV is an infectious disease of the airways and lungs. RSV infection causes symptoms like a cold, including:

• cough
• sore throat
• sneezing
• a runny or blocked nose

It can also make you become wheezy or short of breath and lead to pneumonia and other life-threatening conditions. There is no specific treatment, and most infections will get better by themselves. Every year thousands of older adults need hospital care for RSV, and some of them will die.    RSV can be more severe in people with medical conditions such as heart or lung disease or a weakened immune system. 

RSV infection is common in young children but is most serious for small babies and for older people. 

To protect new born babies, pregnant women will be offered the vaccination between 28 weeks and 36 weeks as part of their ante-natal program with the midwife. 

How RSV is spread

RSV infections can occur all year round, but cases peak every winter.

RSV can spread through coughs and sneezes. You can help to prevent the spread of the virus by covering your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze (ideally with a tissue, or else into the bend of your elbow), and you can wash your hands frequently to reduce the risk of picking up the virus.   

Even with these measures it can be difficult to avoid RSV infection. The best way to protect yourself is to have the vaccine.

How the RSV vaccine works

Almost all older adults will have had several RSV infections during their life. A single dose of vaccine will help to boost protection as you reach an age group at highest risk of serious RSV infection. Unlike the flu vaccine you do not need to have the RSV vaccine every year.

Eligibility for the RSV vaccination

Everyone turning 75 years old on or after the 1 September 2024 will receive an invitation from their GP Surgery for a single dose of RSV vaccine.    This is because older adults are more at risk of serious complications from RSV. You can still get the vaccine up to the day before you turn 80.

More information can be found here: https: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/respiratory-syncytial-virus-rsv-vaccination-for-older-adults/your-guide-to-the-rsv-vaccine-for-older-adults

All pregnant women will be offered the vaccination between 28 weeks and 36 weeks as part of their ante-natal program with the midwife. 

Public Health Fact Sheet available here: https://www.publichealth.hscni.net/sites/default/files/2021-09/RSV%20A4%20Factsheet%2009_21%20updated.pdf

The vaccination Patient Information Leaflet [PIL] can be found here: https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/files/pil.15309.pdf

Having the RSV vaccine at the same time as other vaccines -Shingles and pneumococcal vaccines

You may be offered your shingles or pneumococcal vaccine at the same time as the RSV vaccine, it is safe to do so and reduces the number of appointments you will need to get protected from these diseases.

Pharmacy First

You don’t always need to wait to see a GP for some common minor conditions.

Pharmacies can offer advice and guidance for conditions that don’t require a prescription, and many pharmacies have specially trained Pharmacists who are now able to diagnose and treat a number of minor illnesses.

For more information: 
https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/pharmacies/how-pharmacies-can-help

If you don’t have enough food and cannot afford to buy food, you may be able to seek support from the Trussell Trust.

The Trussell Trust is a national foodbank organisation. 

Visit: https://www.trussell.org.uk/

There may also be independent foodbanks for your area. Buckinghamshire Council website has information and support: https://familyinfo.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/advice-and-support/money-and-benefits/help-with-essentials/ 

Eating healthily on a budget can be hugely challenging. The British Heart Foundation has hints and tips on how you can eat healthily while being mindful of the cost of food.

https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/nutrition/eat-well-on-a-budget

If you have a baby, sometimes it can be difficult to know whether they’re just a bit unwell and will recover in a couple of days or whether you need to seek advice. The Lullaby Trust have designed an app to support you with that decision-making. https://www.lullabytrust.org.uk/safer-sleep-advice/infection-and-illness/baby-check-app/

Winter can be challenging for mental health as many of the activities we might do to help improve our mood become more difficult. Getting outside and doing exercise can help boost our wellbeing, while financial pressures and loneliness can take their toll. At the moment, the cold weather and dark nights may make being outside for exercise more challenging, but you can still use the outdoors to help bring your life into balance.

There are some useful tips to help improve your mental health on the NHS website. One is that mindfulness is beneficial. This means taking time to notice how you are feeling, and your surroundings. You can use mindfulness exercises to help support your mental health.

https://www.amh.org.uk/winter-welln...do-to-protect-your-mental-health-this-winter/

https://www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matte...ps/top-tips-to-improve-your-mental-wellbeing/

https://www.mind.org.uk/information...ments/mindfulness/mindfulness-exercises-tips/

The festive season can be a trigger for domestic violence. Abuse can be physical, mental, controlling behaviours or financial abuse.

You can find support for female victims of domestic abuse here:
https://www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk/

You can find support for male victims of domestic abuse here:
https://mensadviceline.org.uk/

You can find support for LGBT+ victims of domestic abuse here:
https://galop.org.uk/get-help/helplines/

The Infected Blood enquiry focused on patients who received blood transfusions and blood products between 1970 and 1996, and is now complete.

The final report was published on 20 May 2024. Visit: https://www.infectedbloodinquiry.org.uk/reports 

Although it is likely that the majority of those who were directly affected have now been identified and started on appropriate treatment given the time that has elapsed since the last use of infected products, there may be people who have not yet been identified, particularly if they are living with asymptomatic Hepatitis C.

Some patients will already have been contacted by the blood service as part of the ‘lookback investigations’ which began in the mid-1990s following introduction of HIV and Hepatitis C screening.

What to do if you think you may have received blood in the 1970s and 1980s

If you received blood or blood products prior to 1992, and were not contacted but think you might be at risk of Hepatitis C, please visit:  https://hepctest.nhs.uk/. This NHS website enables patients to request a simple finger prick blood test kit to do at home and post back to the lab, results received within 2 weeks.

It is very unlikely that anyone who has HIV following blood transfusions in the 1970s and 1980s is not already diagnosed and aware of their infection.

For those who are concerned about the risk of HIV infection, further information can be found here: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hiv-and-aids/diagnosis/ and here: https://www.nhs.uk/service-search/other-health-services/hiv-testing      

Hepatitis B, another infection that can be linked to infected blood, usually clears up on its own without treatment; however, if you are concerned about Hepatitis B infection more information can be found here: https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/england-infected-blood-support-scheme or your local sexual health clinic: https://www.nhs.uk/service-search/sexual-health/find-a-sexual-health-clinic  

The government has published guidance for patients, please visit: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5d1613ec40f0b609da30d37c/Information_for_patients_on_the_Infected_Blood_Inquiry.pdf

Patients and families affected/infected are entitled to compensation. More information about the compensation scheme can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/infected-blood-compensation-scheme-summary/infected-blood-compensation-scheme-summary

On 1 April 2023, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) introduced a new Prescription Prepayment Certificate (PPC) to reduce the cost of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for patients.

The certificate will be valid for 12 months and covers an unlimited number of listed HRT medicines for the cost of two single prescription charges. Patients could save money if they pay more than two HRT prescription charges within 12 months. 

The HRT PPC will be available to buy in one single payment online at www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/hrt-ppc, or in-person at some pharmacies. Patients can call 0300 330 2089 for help and support.

Before buying an HRT PPC, a patient should check if:

• they’re eligible for free NHS prescriptions using the eligibility checker: www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/check
• their medicine is covered by the HRT PPC. For a list of eligible HRT medication, visit: www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/hrt-ppc-medicines
• a 3 or 12 month standard Pre Payment Certificate [PPC] is more suitable; as it covers all NHS prescriptions, not just HRT items. Visit: www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/ppc

Buckinghamshire Council has published a number of avenues that may support our patients, including access to free or low cost food, financial support and help with other living costs.

Click the link for more information: https://www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/cost-of-living/?utm_medium=email&utm_name=&utm_source=govdelivery 

As part of the NHS Digital Transformation plan, all practices are required to have a digital platform.

Our digital platform or online service is called eConsult and is available through the week.

It can be accessed via our website, from your mobile, tablet or PC, or the NHS App. There is no need to download an app.

eConsult is a service for patients wanting to contact the GP to request routine appointments, medication requests along with any queries, either clinical or administrative. You should get a response within two working days. 

This was launched during the Covid pandemic, and has proved to be an invaluable tool for both Doctors and patients, receiving very positive feedback. 

Avoid calling the practice where possible as our phone lines are very busy.

Simply use eConsult, the link button is located on our home page, and avoid the queues.

FOR PATIENTS WITH CLINICALLY URGENT PROBLEMS NEEDING AN ON-THE-DAY APPOINTMENT, PLEASE CONTINUE TO PHONE AT 08:30 OR AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

Healthwatch Bucks exists to ensure NHS leaders and decision makers hear the patients voice and they use your feedback to improve care for everyone.

Their service covers hospitals, GP surgeries, dentists, phamracies and care homes.

To view their website, visit -  https://www.healthwatchbucks.co.uk/ 

To subscribe to their newsletter, go to the website and scroll down to the bottom of the home page to the subscribe section, enter your email and press the subscribe button. You can unsubscribe at any time.

As part of a government change to the structure of the NHS, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West Clinical Commissioning Groups [CCGs] merged to become BOB ICB.

They have launched a stakeholder newsletter to enable patients to keep abreast of the current services and changes being proposed in hospital and community care.

To view the nesletter, please visit: https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/UKBOBICS/bulletins/3a14197   

If you wish to subscribe to the newsletter, clicl on the link above, scroll to the bottom of the home page and subscribe. You can unsubscribe at any time.