Vaccinations

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 on 020 8758 0570 to make an appointment.

Useful links

• NHS Choice – Vaccinations for you and your family

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

• Flu and the Flu Vaccine – NHS Choices

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.

In order to assist us to make a full assessment of the potential risks to your health from your planned travel, we would ask that you contact the surgery to book a call back with our Practice Nurse. Ideally, this should be made around the time of booking your holiday, at least 6 weeks before you travel.

During this call we may ask the following questions to help us plan for your trip:

• When are you departing and for how long?
• Where are you going, including the destinations within a country?
• Where are you staying, e.g. backpacking, camping, hotels?
• Are you planning to undertake any high risk activities?
• Have you taken out travel insurance and have you informed the company of any existing medical condition?
• If female and of child bearing age, is there any possibility you could be pregnant, or are you planning a pregnancy?
• Do you have any medical conditions, or a history of significant medical illness? (these can influence the choice of malaria tablets we recommend)

It would help us greatly if you had some awareness of the travel problems that you may be at risk from on your trip before your call. At the end of the consultation if any Travel Vaccinations are required an appointment will be offered. 

Please note that there may be some cost involved. We do not currently administer Yellow Fever Vaccine.

Useful links

• Fit for Travel
• NaTHNaC