Current Working Practices
We would like to reassure everyone that Lindfield Medical Centre is open and has been throughout the pandemic. We have been delivering a service whereby patients are assessed by phone or video initially in order to comply with official guidance and help reduce the spread of Covid 19.
We continue to offer safe face-to-face appointments where clinically indicated.
Please rest assured we are keeping everything under close evaluation to balance infection control measures, limit our footfall as per NHS guidelines, and ensure that at the same time our patients get the appropriate care they require.
We are grateful to all our patients for their understanding and support as we navigate our way through the challenges in what is set to be a testing time over the winter months.
Shingles Clinic
We will be running a Shingles Clinic by appointment on Wednesday 25 November. Please ring or email reception for an appointment if you would like to attend.
You are eligible for the Shingles Vaccine if you are aged 70 or 78-79 years old. In addition, anyone who was previously eligible (born on or after 2 September 1942), but who has not been previously vaccinated, remains eligible until their 80th birthday.
Flu Clinics
You will be sent a pre-arranged appointment
Due to the current Covid 19 pandemic our flu clinics at Lindfield Medical Centre are being organised differently this year. For those patients over 65 years (born on or before 31 March 1956), and aged those 18-64 deemed “at risk” we will be offering a pre-booked appointment.
We do not have the facility to see any patients who arrive without an appointment. The clinics dates will be added to our website and displayed in the reception window, but given the large population we need to immunise we will be sending out allocated appointment times. Please be aware the first two clinics are for patients on our NHS shielding list and their household members only. You will be contacted with your appointment time during October. We would ask where possible you make every endeavour to attend your first allocated time slot. We are anticipating a high level of demand for the flu vaccine and it is going to be a challenge to vaccinate all eligible patients in a short space of time, so please only contact the surgery in extenuating circumstances if you need to rearrange your time slot. To contact us for flu re-allocation please use email: wsxccg.flu.lindfieldmedicalcentre@nhs.net We have over 4000 patients to contact so as you can imagine this is a very challenging time for us, and we would kindly ask that you do not come into the surgery to discuss flu appointments, as we need to reserve this contact for ongoing medical concerns. If you have had an allergy in the past or don’t wish to have a flu jab, we would be so grateful if you could still email us to let us know to free up appointments.
On the day:
To help our clinics run smoothly and maintain social distancing, we are asking that you do not arrive more than 5 minutes before your allocated time slot. In addition, please can you wear a face covering and be assured the staff will be taking appropriate precautions to protect you. We would also ask that you wear appropriate clothing to enable quick presentation of your upper arm.
As with all our booked appointments we request that you do not attend the clinic, if you or a household member have had any Covid 19 symptoms within 14 days of your appointment.
At risk groups
In 2020/21, flu vaccinations will be offered under the NHS flu vaccination programme to the following groups:
- All children aged two to eleven (but not twelve years or older) on 31 August 2020
- People aged 65 years or over (including those becoming age 65 years by 31 March 2021)
- Those aged from six months to less than 65 years of age, in a clinical risk group below:
- chronic (long-term) respiratory disease, such as severe asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or bronchitis
- chronic heart disease, such as heart failure
- chronic kidney disease at stage three, four or five
- chronic liver disease
- chronic neurological disease, such as Parkinson’s disease, MS or motor neurone disease, learning disability
- diabetes
- splenic dysfunction or asplenia
- a weakened immune system due to disease (such as HIV/AIDS) or treatment (such as cancer treatment)
- morbidly obese (defined as BMI of 40 and above)
- All pregnant women (including those women who become pregnant during the flu season)
- Household contacts of those on the NHS Shielded Patient List, or of immunocompromised individuals
- People living in long-stay residential care homes or other long-stay care facilities where rapid spread is likely to follow introduction of infection and cause high morbidity and mortality.
- Those who are in receipt of a carer’s allowance, or who are the main carer of an older or disabled person whose welfare may be at risk if the carer falls ill
- Health and social care staff/workers
FAQs
We have tried to answer any common questions below and will endeavour to keep this website updated.
1) What about pre-school children?
As with previous years these will be run in a separate clinic and you will receive an invitation shortly. This is for children aged 2-3 years (children born between 1 Sept 2016 and 31 August 2018). This will be for the nasal spray flu vaccine. Further information can be found here: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/child-flu-vaccine/
2) What about school age children?
All primary school children and those in Year 7 at Secondary school will receive an offer for flu vaccination through the school. There will be a small number of children in Year 8 and above who fall into at risk groups and they will be invited to our flu clinics.
3) What if I am not in at risk group but would like a flu vaccine?
Some high street pharmacists are offering these at a commercial rate.
4) What about the 50-64 year old healthy group that are new to the recommended population this year?
At present 50-64 year olds without an underlying medical condition will be eligible for flu vaccination in the second wave of the immunisation programme. For now we can’t vaccinate this group with the supply we’ve got as this is earmarked for vulnerable groups. We are awaiting provision of further stock and more information from the Department of Health and Public Health England. In the meantime we advise you check back to our website in November/December.
5) Which type of vaccine should I have? If you're eligible for the flu vaccine on the NHS, you'll be offered one that's most effective for you, depending on your age:
- children aged 2 to 17 are offered a live vaccine (LAIV) as a nasal spray; the live viruses have been weakened so it cannot give you flu
- adults aged 18 to 64 are offered an injected inactivated vaccine; there are different types, but none contains live viruses so they cannot give you flu
- adults aged 65 and over are offered an injected inactivated vaccine; the most common one contains an adjuvant to help your immune system have a stronger response to the vaccine
If your child is aged between 6 months and 2 years old and is in a high-risk group for flu, they'll be offered an injected flu vaccine because the nasal spray is not licensed for children under 2.
6) Are there any side effects from the flu jab?
You may have a mild high temperature and aching muscles for a couple of days after having the vaccine, and your arm may be a bit sore where you were injected. Side effects of the nasal spray vaccine can commonly include a runny or blocked nose, a headache, tiredness and some loss of appetite. Further information can be found on the NHS website https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/flu-vaccine-side-effects/
7) Should anyone NOT have the flu vaccine?
Very few people are unable to have the flu vaccine, but you should avoid it if you have had a serious allergic reaction to it in the past. On the day of the vaccine we would postpone if you have a fever and also in the event of young children having a very runny or blocked nose we may choose to postpone as this would obstruct reliable delivery of the nasal spray.
CORONAVIRUS UPDATE (25/03/20)
FOLLOWING ADVICE FROM OUR CCG, WE ARE CANCELLING ALL PRE-BOOKED APPOINTMENTS WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT. We will only be carrying out essential activity. Your understanding during this time is much appreciated.
ANYONE WITH COUGH OR FEVER >37.8 AND THEIR FAMILY NEEDS TO SELF ISOLATE AT HOME FOR 14 DAYS.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance/stay-at-home-guidance-for-people-with-confirmed-or-possible-coronavirus-covid-19-infection
Do NOT go to a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital.
You do not need to contact 111/us to advise you're staying at home.
- you feel you cannot cope with your symptoms at home
- your condition gets worse
- your symptoms do not get better after 7 days
NHS England have advised us to move to a total triage service. This means you will not be able to book face to face appointments. A doctor will speak to you and if they feel you need to be seen, you will be given an appointment. Please ring in to book a telephone appointment.
How can you help?
- Please do not come into the surgery - telephone first
- Self-manage minor ailments at home. Click here for advice or look at the When Should I Worry? leaflet
- Self-certify for the first 7 days off work. Click here for a self-isolation note
- Request prescriptions online or via SystmOne or NHS apps.
- If you are expecting a telephone call, please keep your phone near you and answer it. The call will be from a withheld number
- If you are told to come to the surgery, please come on your own/with one other person if you are unable to come alone. Leave all children etc at home.
- DO NOT ASK FOR TESTING. This is not available via a GP surgery.
Useful Links for Reliable Information regarding Coronavirus
If you cannot get through on the phones, but wish to contact the surgery, you can email us on hsccg.lindfield.reception@nhs.net . This email address is checked intermittently, and not to be used in an emergency.
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