Vaccinations

Vaccination helps prevent you, your family, and others from becoming unwell. If you’re not sure about you or your child’s vaccine status your GP surgery can advise or you may also be able to view via the NHS app.

If you have a vaccination booked with us, please read the appropriate section. If you have any questions, please call the Surgery.

Flu

The flu jab is the best protection and the vaccine is made each year to match the latest strains, which is why it’s important to get the flu vaccine every year. 

Speak to your GP surgery or specialist if you have a health condition and are not sure if you’re eligible for the flu vaccine.

More advice is available on the NHS website 

Covid-19 

The COVID-19 vaccine helps protect against COVID-19, which can be a serious or life-threatening illness for some people. It's usually offered on the NHS in spring and early winter to people who need extra protection from COVID-19.

Find out more about the Covid-19 vaccine

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)

RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) can cause serious breathing problems in babies, older adults, pregnant women and those with weakened immunity. The RSV vaccine helps protect those most at risk.

Who can get it?

  • Anyone aged 75 to 79 (your GP will send a vaccination invite).
  • Pregnant women from 28 weeks, to protect their babies (speak to your maternity service or GP surgery about the vaccine).
  • People with conditions that make them more vulnerable to chest infections.

Where to get it?

GP surgeries, maternity services (for pregnancy vaccination), and hospital clinics.

Find out more about the RSV vaccine

MMR Vaccine

From 1 January 2026, the routine childhood immunisation schedule in the UK has been updated to include a combined MMRV vaccine (measles, mumps, rubella and varicella – chickenpox) for children born on or after 1 July 2024.

This means:

  • Children will receive two doses of MMRV at 12 months and 18 months, replacing the previous separate MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) schedule for eligible cohorts.
  • The second dose of MMR, previously given at around 3 years 4 months, now moves to 18 months for those eligible for MMRV.
  • A catch-up programme will run from November 2026 to March 2028 for children aged 3 years 4 months to under 6 years who have not yet had chickenpox vaccination or disease.

These changes aim to protect children earlier and strengthen population immunity against measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox and is part of the national NHS immunisation programme – this is based on expert clinical advice to protect children as early as possible.

See the MMRV vaccination guide for parents and carers

Whooping Cough

Whooping cough (pertussis) is an infection of the lungs and breathing tubes. It spreads very easily and can be serious.

The whooping cough vaccine is given to:

  • The 6-in-1 vaccine – for babies at 8, 12 and 16 weeks
  • The 4-in-1 pre-school booster – for children aged 3 years 4 months
  • Pregnant women at around 20 weeks – to help protect your baby for the first few weeks of their life.

Speak to your GP surgery or midwife if you’re 20 weeks pregnant and have not been offered the whooping cough vaccine.

Find out more about Whooping Cough

School Age Vaccines

Children and young people are offered routine vaccines at school, but if they missed these for any reason speak to your GP surgery to arrange a catch-up vaccine. You can also catch up with these vaccines as an adult if you missed out, your GP surgery will can advise.

Routine vaccines include those listed below. There are catch up clinics for those who may have missed out. 

Shingles

Shingles is a common condition that causes a painful rash, caused by reactivation of the chicken-pox virus – in some cases with serious complications like long-term nerve pain. You are more likely to get shingles, and it’s more likely to cause serious problems as you get older or if you have a severely weakened immune system. Vaccination significantly reduces your chances of getting shingles and reduces the risk of serious outcomes if you do.

The shingles vaccine is now recommended for:

  • Anyone aged 18 years or over who has a severely weakened immune system.
  • Anyone aged 70 to 79 years.
  • Individuals turning 65 on or after 1 September (they remain eligible up to age 80).

More information, including an eligibility checker:

Pneumococcal Vaccination

The pneumococcal vaccine helps protect against serious illnesses such as pneumonia and meningitis. It’s recommended for people at higher risk of these illnesses, such as babies and adults aged 65 and over. 

The pneumococcal vaccine helps protect against some types of bacterial infections that can cause serious illnesses, including:

  • Meningitis (an infection in the brain and spinal cord)
  • Sepsis (a life-threatening reaction to an infection)
  • Pneumonia (an infection in the lungs)

The pneumococcal vaccine can only been given by a healthcare professional at your GP surgery. They will usually contact you if you or your child are eligible for the pneumococcal vaccine.

Find out more about the Pneumococcal vaccine