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RSV Vaccine

RSV is an infectious disease of the airways and lungs. RSV infection often causes symptoms similar to a cold, including:

  • cough
  • sore throat
  • sneezing
  • a runny or blocked nose

It can also make you become wheezy or short of breath and lead to pneumonia and other life-threatening conditions. There is no specific treatment, and most infections will get better by themselves. Every year thousands of older adults need hospital care for RSV, and some of them will die. RSV can be more severe in people with medical conditions such as heart or lung disease or a weakened immune system.

RSV infection is common in young children but is most serious for small babies and for older people.

Eligibility for the RSV vaccination

Everyone turning 75 years old on or after the 1 September 2024 will be offered a single dose of RSV vaccine. This is because older adults are more at risk of serious complications from RSV. You can still get the vaccine up to the day before you turn 80.

For the first year of the programme, the vaccine will also be offered to those who are already aged 75 to 79 years on 1 September 2024 as part of a catch up programme.

If you are not yet 75 the NHS will invite you for vaccination once you turn 75.

Having the RSV vaccine at the same time as other vaccines

Shingles and pneumococcal vaccines

You may be offered your shingles or pneumococcal vaccine at the same time as the RSV vaccine, it is safe to do so and reduces the number of appointments you will need to get protected from these diseases.

Flu and COVID-19 vaccines

RSV isn’t normally arranged to be given at the same appointment as your COVID-19 or flu vaccines.

In certain clinical circumstances, your doctor or nurse can safely offer them at the same time.

Your guide to the RSV vaccine for older adults – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

RSV Vaccine Read More »

BMA Collective Action

Following the recent BMA ballot which you may have heard about in the press, we are writing to explain what this means for you and the future of General Practice. 

GPs have for years been doing work that is not funded and not contracted due to gaps in commissioned services and pressures in secondary care services; they have been doing so out of concern for their patients and to ensure that you continue to receive the care you deserve. However, with chronic underfunding and increased demand it is no longer sustainable for GPs to continue working in this way. 

Since 2015 we have seen 1600 Practices close or merge, there are 6 million more registered patients and 2000 fewer full time equivalent GPs across the country. Our funding levels are significantly lower than 2018 levels. This means we will be focussing on the safety and stability of our service going forwards.

Collective action is about working legitimately within our contracts. You may have heard this referred to in the press as industrial action; this is factually incorrect.  We will not be doing anything that compromises your safety, and we will not currently be going on strike.

We hope you understand that we are taking this action to ensure that general practice locally, in Devon and across England is there for our patients in years to come, and hope for your forbearance. 

BMA Collective Action Read More »