We are firmly in August as I write this and it has been a very lovely sunny summer weather wise, and after the previous few days of very hot weather it seems odd to be writing about Flu season. However, it will be fast upon us, please find our proposed dates for Market Lavington Surgery in 2025 listed below.
This year sees a change in how we approach our vaccination clinics; the government have advised us that only the 75 years and over along with the severally immunosuppressed will be eligible for the COVID vaccine. Therefore, those patients over 75 will have the opportunity to have BOTH their COVID and Flu jab together at the Devizes Health Centre on Marshall Road.
Those that are 65-74 and the other categories listed below will be invited to specific flu clinics at Market Lavington Surgery.
If you are over 75 and would prefer to have your vaccinations separately then you can do so at the separate sites i.e. have your Flu jab at Market Lavington and your COVID jab at the Health Centre. Individual appointments will need to be made in this instance.
We are continuing with our pre-booked system developed during the pandemic. The Government confirmed in spring the eligibility criteria for flu vaccinations, please see below for the cohorts:
- those aged 65 years and over
- those aged 18 years to under 65 years in clinical risk groups
- all children in clinical risk groups aged from 6 months to less than 18 years
- pregnant women
- all children aged 2 or 3 years on 1st Sept 2025 (booked in a separate clinic at the surgery)
- those in long-stay residential care homes
- carers in receipt of carer’s allowance, or those who are the main carer of an elderly or disabled person.
- close contacts of immunocompromised individuals
- frontline workers in a social care setting without an employer led occupational health scheme including those working for a registered residential care or nursing home, registered domiciliary care providers, voluntary managed hospice providers and those that are employed by those who receive direct payments (personal budgets) or Personal Health budgets, such as Personal Assistants
Clinics will be held at the Surgery on the following dates:
| Date | Timing |
| Saturday 4th October | All-Day |
| Saturday 18th October | Morning |
| Thursday 6th November | Evening |
Appointments must be pre-booked. A ‘turn up and wait’ service will not be operating this year; it will be based on the successful appointment system operated in the previous few years.
We will be contacting those cohorts listed above via a text or phone call. If we have not contacted you and you believe you are eligible for a flu vaccination, please contact the Surgery on 01380 812500 to book your appointment.
The bookings for the flu clinic will not commence until the 1st of September when our vaccine delivery slot has been confirmed.
For 2025 we will be completing more appointments in the clinic timings, if possible, please walk to your appointment as the car park will be very busy
Please note, the procedure on the day will be as follows:
- Please arrive at your appointment time. If you arrive too early, you may be asked to wait in your car /outside the building until the time of your appointment.
- Whilst waiting, you should remove all outer clothing/coats and roll up your sleeve.
- Once you have received your flu vaccination, you will be asked to immediately leave the building via a separate exit.
- If you can walk to the appointment, then please do as the car park will be very busy.
Persons aged 75 and over will be sent a separate invitation to book their Covid and Flu appointment at the Devizes Health Centre. These invitations will be sent via text message to the mobile number saved to your patient record. Invitations will be sent to you by 1st September for appointments from 1st October onwards.
If you are aged 75 and over and do not have a mobile telephone, or would prefer to book your appointment via the surgery (instead of via the text link), please telephone the surgery on or after 1st September to book your Covid & Flu vaccination at the Devizes Health Centre.
Thank you for your continued support
Market Lavington Surgery