SHAPE & BRUSSELS – New

Clinical Team

SMO
Lt Col Nicola Macleod

CMP
Dr Andrew Ure

GDMO
Capt Peter Gimson

Physiotherapist
Mrs Victoria Lack

Senior Practice Nurse
Mrs Jane Paterson

PHC Nurse
Mrs Claire Reed

Pharmacy Technician
Cpl Vijay Gurung

Patient Support & Referrals

Patient Support Coord
Corine Bausier

Patient Support Administrator
CON Dochot Domithlide

Administrative Team

Admin Team
Mrs Jayne Cauldwell
Mrs Stephanie Thomson
Mrs Evelyn AcAulaye

SHAPE and Brussels Practice front desk |+32 6544 5824 | SGDPHC-O-SHAPE-Mailbox@mod.gov.uk |

SHAPE patient support and referrals | +32 6544 2071 | SGDPHC-O-SHAPE-PatSupport@mod.gov.uk |

Healix Healthline| +44 208 481 7800 (24/7) | healthline@healix.com |

eConsult your Practice| SHAPE and Brussels eConsult |

Practice Leaflet

Flu Immunisation 2020/21 – SHAPE & Brussels

Why Flu vaccine?
Flu vaccination is available every year to certain groups to help protect adults and children at risk from flu and its complications. Flu can be unpleasant, but if you’re otherwise healthy, it’ll usually clear up on its own in about a week. However, in those aged 65 and over; pregnant women; children and adults with an underlying health condition (such as long-term heart or respiratory disease); and children and adults with weakened immune systems flu is more likely to cause serious complications.

Who should get the flu vaccine?
This year the flu vaccine is being offered more widely to:

• people who were required to shield from coronavirus and anyone they live with
• people with some medical conditions including diabetes, heart failure and asthma
• pregnant women
• pre-school children aged 2 and 3 on 31 August 2020
• all primary school children, as last year, and, for the first time, Year 7 pupils
• people over 65, before, subject to stock, over-50s in Nov/Dec
• Frontline Health or social care workers

Which type of flu vaccine should I have?

There are several types of flu vaccine. If you’re eligible, 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. Children between 6 months and 2 years old in a highrisk group for flu, are offered an injected flu vaccine because the nasal spray is not licensed for children under 2.

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.

Where will I get the flu vaccine?

The vaccine will be delivered in the SHAPE practice or at the Sterrebeek clinic.

We will let you know of clinics as soon as the vaccine is available to us.

If you are given a flu immunisation else-where please let the practice know so that it can be recorded. Information may be sent securely to the practice using eConsult

How effective is the flu vaccine?

Flu vaccine is the best protection we have against an unpredictable virus that can cause unpleasant illness in children and severe illness and death among at-risk groups, including
older people, pregnant women and people with an underlying physical health condition.

Studies have shown that the flu vaccine will help prevent you getting the flu. It will not stop all flu viruses and the level of protection may vary, so it’s not a 100% guarantee that you’ll be flu-free. But if you do get flu after vaccination, it’s likely to be milder and shorter-lived than it would otherwise have been.

There’s also evidence to suggest that the flu vaccine can reduce your risk of having a stroke. Over time, protection from the injected flu vaccine gradually decreases and flu strains often change.

New flu vaccines are produced each year, which is why people advised to have the flu vaccine need it every year. Find out more about how the flu vaccine works.

Flu vaccine side effects

Serious side effects of the injected flu vaccine are very rare. 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. Find out more about the side effects of the flu vaccine.

How safe is the flu vaccine?

The flu vaccines used in the national programme have a good safety record. Flu vaccines that are used in Europe have been thoroughly tested before they’re made available.

When to have a flu vaccine

The best time to have a flu vaccine is in the autumn before flu starts circulating. But even if it’s later, it’s always worth getting vaccinated. Ask the GP or pharmacist.

The flu vaccine for 2020 to 2021

Each year, the viruses that are most likely to cause flu are identified in advance and the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends which type of flu virus strains to include in the vaccine.

Is there anyone who should not have the flu vaccine?

Most adults can have the injected flu vaccine, but you should avoid it if you have had a serious allergic reaction to a flu vaccine in the past. Read more about who should not have the flu vaccine.

You can find out more by reading the answers to common questions about the flu vaccine.

Any questions use eConsult or phone on +32 6544 5824.

JPA Claim for medical expenses

Shape & Brussels COVID-19 Testing

What to do if you have symptoms of COVID-19

How to buy NHS Pre-payment Certificates (PPC) for Prescriptions

If you have recently had care from the practice we would be grateful if you could complete a short online questionnaire about the service you received. The answers to these questions will allow DPHC to identify what could be done better, what is done well and help improve the quality of care and service we deliver to you. This questionnaire is anonymous.

DPHC Patient Experience Questionnaire  https://surveys.mod.uk/index.php/946227