Health @ TuxfordThe NHS has brought forward the Covid Vaccination Programme for this winter due to the risk of a new variant. This change has happened since we first started inviting patients for their Flu vaccination – so we’ve had to change our practice plans to incorporate the changes.
Tuxford Medical Centre will be offering Covid Vaccinations at the practice. However – our appointments will NOT be visible on the “National Covid Booking Service”. But before you ring us to book an appointment – please read the following!
If you have a Flu Appointment booked with us…
If you have already booked a Flu Vaccination appointment with us (either on a Saturday or during the working week) we will have additional staff offering to provide a Covid Vaccination at the same time.
If you have a Saturday appointment booked with us please consider whether you’d like a Covid Vaccination at the same time before you arrive. You DO NOT need to let us know in advance – but you DO need to have made your decision before the nurse asks you! Our appointment timings on Saturdays are very tight and we want to run as close to time as possible so later patients are not kept waiting.
Do I have to have both Flu and Covid Vaccinations at the same time?
No – There is no obligation to have both Flu and Covid vaccinations together. Lots of patients have expressed that they DO want both, but equally, a lot have already told us that they DON’T want the vaccinations at the same time. It is entirely your choice!
Will “Covid only” appointments be available?
Yes – If you decide that you would prefer the Covid vaccination at a different time – or you would like the Covid Vaccination but not the Flu vaccination – then we will be running single vaccination clinics at the practice from October onwards.
When will I be invited to book a Covid Vaccination at the surgery?
We will be inviting patients from the 3rd October onwards.
We already have almost a thousand patients booked for their Flu Vaccination, and we don’t know how many are going to take the offer of having the Covid vaccination at the same time. Once we’re run the Saturdays Flu clinics we will start to invite patients who have not had a covid vaccination. We will invite patients in priority order of risk.
I haven’t booked by Flu Vaccination Appointment yet – will I be invited again?
Yes – the practice has ordered enough vaccine to vaccinate all our eligible patients. Once we have started receiving our vaccine deliveries we will begin sending our second invitations.
What about housebound and residential home patients?
Our housebound and residential home patients will be vaccinated as soon as we receive our first supplies of vaccine.
I’ve been invited to book a Covid Vaccination with the National Booking Service…
It’s your choice whether you have your Covid and Flu Vaccine with us or elsewhere, but please remember that having your vaccinations at Tuxford Medical Centre helps support the whole practice and fund the services we are able to provide to our registered patients all year-round.
It’s very likely that you will be invited via the National Booking Service before you are invited by us – but we will vaccinate all eligible patients who want the vaccine with us.
Thanks for reading.