The shingles vaccination programme changed on 1 September 2023 to include younger patients than those previously eligible.
From 1 September 2023, there are three groups of patients who are eligible for 2 doses of the Shingrix shingles vaccine:
* those whose 65th birthday is on/after 1 September 2023. [Anyone who was aged 65 before 1 September 2023 will become eligible when they reach age 70];
* those aged 70 – 79 who have not yet had their shingles vaccination, can have this up to the age of 80 (but not beyond that);
* those aged 50 & over who are severely immunocompromised. This includes patients whose medical records include any of the following conditions/codes:
- Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS);
- Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV);
- Graft versus host disease (GVHD);
- Blood or blood related cancer;
- Lymphoproliferative disorder;
- Immunosuppressive procedure in the last 6 months;
- Immunosuppressive drug in the last 6 months;
- Allograft stem cell transplant in the last 24 months;
- Autograft stem cell transplant in the last 24 months;
- Radiotherapy treatment in the last 6 months;
- Disease-modifying anti-rheumatic therapy (not necessarily DMAR medication)
This immunocompromised group will be invited based on the coded information in the medical records. If we have invited you and you do not think you are in one of the above groups, then please ring us on 0161 905 4711 and book a telephone appointment with our nurse first, so that we can discuss this with you.
We are inviting eligible patients in these three groups each month, so it would help us if you wait for your invitation, by letter, or by text message enabling you to book your appointment directly with the surgery if you have a smartphone, or by ringing us on 0161 905 4711.
You can read more about the shingles vaccination programme here.
