Yes. If you are aged 65 years or over or you are at higher risk

Who is at risk?

• If you are aged 65 years or over or if you are on regular inhaled steroids
• If you have a chronic respiratory disease (including asthma)
• If you have chronic heart disease
• If you have chronic renal disease
• If you are diabetic
• If you have a weak immune system
• If you live in a long-stay residential or nursing home
• If you have a chronic liver disease
• If you are a carer

Everybody aged 65 and over should now be immunised to help protect them against pneumococcal infection which can cause diseases such as pneumonia, septicaemia (blood poisoning) and meningitis. Please phone the surgery during September to make an appointment if the above applies to you.

A vaccine to prevent shingles, a common, painful skin disease is now available on the NHS to certain people in their 70s. The shingles vaccine is given as a single injection for anyone aged 70 or 79. Unlike the flu jab, you'll only need to have the vaccination once.

For more information please visit the NHS Shingles Vaccination page