Flu vaccination innovation in Scotland

Patients registered with GP practices across north-west Angus are being invited to attend vaccination clinics at Whitehills Health and Community Care Centre and Kirriemuir Health Centre as part of a new pilot project.

The north-west Angus trial, which is part of the NHS vaccination transformation programme, will affect over 65s and adults of all ages with long-term chronic health conditions – such as heart, lung, or kidney diseases – and their carers.

Spanning three years, the transformation programme will see responsibility for the delivery of immunisations move from GPs to NHS Boards.

NHS Tayside has said it is leading the way in Scotland by introducing a test of these changes during this year’s flu season.

A trial clinic was held last Saturday with 300 local patients invited to get vaccinated by NHS Tayside staff ahead of the first general clinic taking place at the Whitehills Health and Community Care Centre this coming weekend, with dedicated vaccination clinics held in the Kirriemuir Health Centre from Saturday 12^th October.

Dr Daniel Chandler, consultant in public health medicine said: “Changes to the GP contract mean that with time, NHS staff will assume responsibility for delivery of all vaccinations and immunisations that traditionally would have been delivered in General Practice, in line with nationally agreed policy.

“To prepare for this change, all adults in Forfar and Kirriemuir who are eligible for their flu vaccination are being invited to attend Whitehills Health and Community Care Centre or Kirriemuir Health Centre for their vaccine where they will be immunised by NHS Tayside staff.

“Patients in Forfar are asked to attend on the dates allocated to their surnames, however in exceptional cases where people cannot attend their allocated clinic dates they can attend one of the other sessions being run for their practice.

“The earliest part of the clinics is always the busiest and people are asked that they attend throughout the session to reduce their waiting times.

“We have arranged a large number of clinic dates to ensure that all patients who wish to receive their vaccination can do so over a six-week period.

“We hope that the weekend and evening clinics and a wide range of hours available makes it easier for people to access their flu vaccine.

“Patients who get their vaccination at home or in care homes by the community nurses, and patients who reside in Letham who get their vaccination at Jubilee Court will continue to do so.

“Patient feedback will be gathered throughout the clinics and used to help develop the service for both Forfar and Angus more widely next year.”

This story was supplied as part of our partnership with healthandcare.scot.