The 2023/24 flu vaccination programme finished on 31st March 2024!

The purpose of the flu vaccination programme is to protect those individuals most at risk of developing severe complications such as bronchitis and secondary bacterial pneumonia.

According to government guidelines, the following cohorts were  eligible for a free NHS flu vaccine for the 2023-2024 program:

• Over 65 years old (including those becoming age 65 years by 31 March 2024)
• Risk groups:
  • those aged from 18 years to less than 65 years of age in a clinical risk group such as those with:
    • chronic (long-term) respiratory disease, such as asthma (requires continuous or repeated use of inhaled or systemic steroids or with previous exacerbations requiring hospital admission), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or bronchitis
    • chronic heart disease, such as heart failure
    • chronic kidney disease at stage 3, 4 or 5
    • chronic liver disease
    • chronic neurological disease, such as Parkinson’s disease 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 influenza season)
  • household contacts of immunocompromised individuals, specifically individuals who expect to share living accommodation on most days over the winter and, therefore, for whom continuing close contact is unavoidable
  • 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. This does not include, for instance, prisons, young offender institutions, university halls of residence, or boarding schools (except where children are of primary school age)
  • 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
  • frontline staff without employer led occupational health schemes, employed by a registered residential care or nursing home or registered domiciliary care provider, who are directly involved in the care of vulnerable patients or clients who are at increased risk from exposure to influenza
  • frontline staff without employer led occupational health schemes, employed by a voluntary managed hospice provider, who are directly involved in the care of vulnerable patients or clients who are at increased risk from exposure to influenza
  • frontline staff without employer led occupational health schemes employed through Direct Payments (personal budgets) and/or Personal Health Budgets, such as Personal Assistants, to deliver domiciliary care to patients and service users