Flu and COVID-19 vaccinations for eligible frontline health and social care staff
1 December 2023
Thank you for your continued commitment to all routine and seasonal vaccination programmes, and for your work to support the offer of winter vaccines for frontline health and care professionals.
All eligible frontline health and social care professionals, including clinical and non-clinical staff who have direct contact with patients, should be offered both the flu and COVID-19 vaccines ahead of winter. Employers must make every effort to ensure that eligible frontline staff are offered and easily able to access their vaccine, and are encouraged to do so.
NHS England will soon begin to publish monthly vaccine uptake data for frontline staff, at trust level. This data, which has been routinely published by UKHSA in previous years with a three-week lag, will now allow earlier insight into staff uptake (reducing lag to less than a week) and will be improved with the addition of a new filter to indicate those eligible. The first such data will be published shortly.
Everyone eligible for seasonal vaccines, including health and care workers, will be able to make bookings online at www.nhs.uk/wintervaccinations or on the NHS App until 14 December.
To maximise protection for your teams, patients and the public, we ask that all NHS organisations also ensure that convenient and clearly signposted local flu and COVID-19 vaccination arrangements remain in place for eligible frontline professionals until 31 January 2024, which may include local booking systems.
To support this, we urge all systems and NHS employers to keep encouraging eligible frontline team members to come forward for their winter vaccines. This should include by:
- ensuring flexibility to attend appointments conveniently around shifts
- offering drop-in sessions to discuss any questions
- involving staff networks, chaplaincy services and a wide range of local leaders and vaccine champions to encourage understanding and uptake
- making full use of online NHS campaign resources and promoting vaccine awareness regularly at team meetings, in newsletters and other local settings.
Larger provider organisations should try to ensure they maintain a wide-ranging offer, with options out of hours and across multiple sites, backed up by drop-in/pop-up sessions or roving vaccinations.
We also ask systems to continue identifying opportunities to maximise the offer of co-administration of flu and COVID-19 vaccinations in a single visit, to improve convenience and uptake during the busy winter period.
Once again, thank you for everything you are doing to keep our staff protected and to keep the NHS strong over winter.
Please see the full publication from NHS England here.
Berkshire LOC Latest News
PES Enhanced Cataract CPD Event: 18th December 2024
Join us for an insightful, free event tailored for practitioners involved in enhanced eyecare services using OPERA, with a spotlight on the pre-op cataract/enhanced cataract referral service in England. 📅 When: Wednesday 18th December, 7pm – 8pm. 📍Where: Online, via Zoom. 🎓Earn: 1 Interactive CPD Point (Lecture) for OOs and DOs This session …
Continue reading “PES Enhanced Cataract CPD Event: 18th December 2024”
11 December 2024
PCSE System Downtime 28-29 November
Dear Colleague, We’re letting you know about scheduled maintenance taking place this week. Due to scheduled maintenance, PCSE Online will be unavailable from 6pm on Thursday 28 November to 6am on Friday 29 November. We will then be carrying out assurance testing until 8.30am. Please note, the contact us forms on the PCSE …
Continue reading “PCSE System Downtime 28-29 November”
27 November 2024
RNIB CET Event – Monday 2nd of December
The RNIB Low Vision Centre is pleased to inform you of a free CPD event for Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians on: Monday 2nd December 9.15- 16.00 Low vision and Learning Disabilities Conference (5 CET points) Content: Low vision Workshop Learning disabilities Workshop Retinal conditions in Low Vision Lecture – Consultant ophthalmologist Christiana Dinah Eyecare support …
Continue reading “RNIB CET Event – Monday 2nd of December”
21 November 2024
Safeguarding Adults Week 2024
Dear Colleagues, We are pleased to announce that we are raising awareness of Safeguarding Adults Week 2024, an annual campaign aimed at raising awareness and promoting best practices in safeguarding adults. Primary Eyecare Services are proud to be supporting this campaign. We would like to encourage you to take the time to read …
Continue reading “Safeguarding Adults Week 2024”
21 November 2024
PCSE – System downtime 14th of November 2025
Primary Care Support England System downtime 14 November Dear Colleague, We’re letting you know about scheduled maintenance taking place this week. Due to scheduled maintenance, PCSE Online will be unavailable from 6pm until 9.30pm on Thursday 14 November. Don’t forget to read our Business Continuity Guidance If your store is unable to access PCSE Online due …
Continue reading “PCSE – System downtime 14th of November 2025”
13 November 2024
Special Facial Characteristics GOS supplement – includes Tomato and MiraFlex range
If you have had a GOS claim for a SFC supplement refused by the RBHT because the frame dispensed was not custom made, ie. from the “Tomato” or “MiraFlex” range, please be aware that you are able to challenge this under the SGS additional guidance, details below: Small Glasses Supplement Additional guidance NHS England and …
12 October 2024
VISIO Health Inaugural Launch & Optometry and GP Education event
VISIO Health, in partnership with ZEISS, is hosting its inaugural educational meeting alongside its official launch, focusing on holistic care for Ophthalmology, Dermatology, Aesthetics, and Wellbeing. The event will feature interactive workshops that include diagnostic imaging interpretation, case-based discussions on treatment options across various specialties, and hands-on experience. Accredited with 15 CPD points, this …
Continue reading “VISIO Health Inaugural Launch & Optometry and GP Education event”
7 October 2024
Optician is delighted to announce the return of its CPD certified conference on Sustainability – October 1st & 2nd of October
Eyes on Sustainability is a ground-breaking multi-channel initiative that combines live conferences and focused monthly editorial content. Eyes on Sustainability 2024 (#EOS24), is CPD certified and will take place on October 2nd at Brighton i360 and will provide a launchpad for retail optics to reduce its impact on the planet while meeting current and future …
20 September 2024
CUES CPD Event: 23rd September 2024 7PM – 9PM
Primary Eyecare are excited to announce an upcoming CPD webinar on CUES, “The CUES conundrum: solving the urgent eyecare solution” Monday 23rd September, 7PM-9PM 2 back-to-back lectures with 2 interactive CPD points in total! 7PM – 8PM = CUES pathway and protocols 8PM – 9PM = CUES referrals from the red tab …
Continue reading “CUES CPD Event: 23rd September 2024 7PM – 9PM”
6 September 2024