Practice Updates

Flu vaccinations - Winter 2023

We have organised our flu clinics for the following dates -

• Wednesday 20th September 2023 – Aldeburgh Old Generator Station

• Tuesday 26th September 2023 – Orford Surgery

• Thursday 5th October 2023 – Hollesley Village Hall

• Saturday 7th October 2023 - Alderton Surgery

• Saturday 14th October 2023 - Aldeburgh Surgery

Eligible groups:

• Everyone 65 years and over;

• those in clinical risk groups;

• pregnant women;

• all children aged 2 or 3 years and primary school aged children;

• residents in care and nursing homes;

• carers in receipt of carer’s allowance, or the main carer of an elderly or disabled person;

• close contacts of immunocompromised individuals;

• frontline workers in a social care setting.

We are sending out texts with links to online booking for your flu vaccine appointments – please ensure we have the up-to-date contact details for you as this will be the quickest way to book your appointment. If you have registered a preference for another form of contact, we will be sending you a letter or email invite.

If you believe you are eligible for a flu vaccine and have not heard from us by *15th August*, please call the surgery after 11am.

We are organising flu clinics directly with care and nursing homes.

If you are registered as housebound, we will you directly to organise your vaccine. If you believe yourself to be medically housebound and are unsure if we have you registered as such, please call the surgery after 11am.

At this point of posting, we are hoping to deliver the Covid vaccinations at the same time as our flu vaccine, however, this is dependent on vaccine delivery.

Our staff are working hard to ensure that everyone who is eligible and wants the flu vaccine, will receive it as soon as possible.

Pharmacy Referrals

Did you know…?

We are participating in a new approach to improve access for patients to GP appointments. The aim is to direct patients to the most appropriate healthcare professional, which may be a GP or a pharmacist.

From 11/02/2022 if your symptoms could be resolved by a booked consultation with the pharmacist instead of the GP, you will be given a same-day referral to a pharmacy of your choice.

We think this is a good thing. Once you see how great your local pharmacist is – they are highly trained and skilled clinicians experienced in treating minor illnesses – we don’t think you’ll look back.

This will also help us to free up GP appointments for people with more complex health needs and ensure that everyone gets treated at the right time, by the right healthcare professional.

We are keen to hear what you think and will be listening to your comments and feedback about your experience of using this service.

If you’re thinking of calling your GP surgery please remember this:

Prescriptions cannot be put in for early collection, we are trying hard to provide a 3 day turnaround (with some supply issues) for those that are due each month. Your future medication will not be available until it is due.
Inhalers are being issued to the patients who have them prescribed as a regular repeat. If you are concerned please go to Asthma UK for advice.
Paracetamol is not available on prescription unless you are already being prescribed this for an existing chronic condition.
The surgery can’t advise you whether you should or shouldn’t self isolate if you are at risk, we have a considerable number of patients - please follow the guidance on NHS 111 online service.
If you are due to have a routine appointment and it’s cancelled, please try and understand the unprecedented strain we are having at the present time.
Please don’t shout at your GP staff when they cannot do these things because we will still make sure you get the medication you NEED and we will still provide the best possible care - over the phone or Face to face if absolutely necessary.

And remember all NHS staff are doing this to help keep you safe.