Vaccinations

Vaccinations

Vaccinations are an important way to prevent life-threatening diseases. Vaccinations shield the individual by stimulating their immune system to generate an immune response. In addition, they also provide protection for the wider community by creating herd immunity. Once a certain proportion of the population has been vaccinated, herd immunity will safeguard those who are unable to be vaccinated. This is crucial to ensure the protection of entire communities against preventable diseases.

Vaccination Consultation

We are happy to offer selected vaccinations for children and adults. We don’t offer routine baby vaccinations (as we believe strongly that the NHS has a robust child vaccination program, and we encourage you vaccinate your child as recommended at the appropriate times).

During the vaccination consultation, you’ll be given of time to discuss your thoughts and concerns (including benefits and potential side effects). Some vaccinations require a course of injections or boosters to be effective.

Private Pneumonia Vaccination (Pneumovax®)

As you get older, your immune system becomes less robust, and you are more susceptible to complications from infections diseases. Vaccination can help to boost the immune system, and we offer private pneumonia vaccination, to help protect against Streptococcus Pneumoniae – the bacterium which can cause pneumonia, septicaemia and meningitis.

The vaccine is 70% effective at preventing pneumococcal disease.

We recommend the vaccine for people over the age of 65, who may be more at risk of developing pneumonia. You must be well at the time of the vaccination (and not have a fever or temperature).

The vaccine is very safe. The vaccine is an inactivated (not a ‘live’ vaccine), which means it cannot cause pneumonia or pneumococcal infection.

Some people may experience:

  • a small amount of swelling or discomfort at the site of the injection
  • a small increase in body temperature
  • a rash
  • feeling a little temporary tiredness

Cervical Cancer Vaccination (HPV vaccination-Gardasil®)

This vaccine is designed to protect against several strains of the human papilloma virus (HPV). The virus can cause cervical cancer in women, genital warts, and penile and anal cancer in men. It can also cause cancer of the throat. HPV is spread during sex, and genital to skin contact. It’s thought over three quarters of women who are sexually active will have an HPV infection at some point in their lives.

The vaccine is highly effective -it prevents more than 90% of cancers caused by HPV, and it also prevents more than 90% of genital warts.

The vaccine is a course of two injections, spaced at least 6 months apart.  The vaccine is given into the upper arm.

Some patients may experience:

  • swelling, redness or bruising in the site of the injection
  • headache
  • nausea
  • dizziness

Meningitis B Vaccination (Bexsero®)

For many years, Meningitis B, (which is fatal in one out of ten cases), was the most common kind of bacterial meningitis in the UK. Since vaccination has commenced in the UK, the number of meningitis cases have fallen significantly.

NHS vaccination for Meningitis B normally takes place as part of the regular childhood immunisations, but as this began in 2015, some young people will not have received the vaccination. Meningitis is most common in babies, children, and young adults, and many people choose to be vaccinated if they going to be attending university or college.

We also offer the Meningococcal meningitis ACWY vaccination.

The vaccine protects against 88% of the Men B strains which cause meningitis.

Depending on your age, you will need be between 2-4 doses. It does not contain any live bacteria, and so it cannot cause meningitis.

Some patients may experience:

  • fever
  • pain at the injection site

Meningitis B Vaccination (Bexsero®)

For many years, Meningitis B, (which is fatal in one out of ten cases), was the most common kind of bacterial meningitis in the UK.  Since vaccination has commenced in the UK, the number of meningitis cases have fallen significantly.  NHS vaccination for Men B normally takes place as part of the regular childhood immunisations, but as this began in 2015, some young people will not have received the vaccination.  Meningitis is most common in babies, children, and young adults, and many people choose to be vaccinated if they going to be attending university or college.

The vaccine protects against 88% .of the Men B strains which cause meningitis.

Depending on your age, you will need be between 2-4 doses. It does not contain any live bacteria, and so it cannot cause meningitis.

Some patients may experience:

  • fever
  • pain at the injection site

Chickenpox Vaccination

Chickenpox is a distressing disease, and it’s highly contagious. It causes an itchy, spotty rash, a high temperature, and can make you feel very unwell. It’s caused by the varicella-zoster virus, and very rarely, it can cause more serious illness, such as meningitis and encephalitis.

Once a person has had chickenpox, they will be immune to the disease for life, but, the virus can remain dormant in nerve tissues, and re-activate later in life in the form of shingles.  This can occur if a person has a weakened immune system (which may happen as we age), or if person is under severe stress.

The chickenpox vaccination is recommended for people who are over the age of 9 months, and under the age of 65, and only if you haven’t had chickenpox.

The vaccine is very effective indeed in childhood – and two doses (4-8 weeks apart) are recommended.  It’s slightly less effective in teenagers and adults, but nevertheless, three quarters of those vaccinated will develop excellent immunity.

Chickenpox is more severe in adults than children, and some people choose to have the vaccination if they have not had the disease as a child.  If you’re a healthcare worker and have not have the disease (and are likely to come into contact with it), you may wish to be vaccinated. If you are in close contact with a family member (or someone you care for), who has a weakened immune system (e.g. if you have a parent or spouse who may be undergoing chemotherapy), you may wish to have the vaccine to prevent exposing them to the disease.

The vaccine contains a small amount of weakened virus that stimulates your immune system, and it’s not suitable for pregnant women, or women who are trying to get pregnant.

Some patients may experience:

  • fever
  • tiredness
  • digestion symptoms
  • a mild rash

Yellow Fever and Travel Vaccinations

We have a dedicated Travel Health and Vaccination Clinic and offer travel vaccinations and detailed travel health advice specific to your medical needs and itinerary.

We’re a registered Yellow Fever centre, and we can offer the following vaccinations:

  • Yellow Fever

  • Whooping Cough

  • Typhoid

  • Tick-Bourne Encephalitis (TBE)

  • Rabies

  • Japanese Encephalitis

  • Hepatitis A and B

  • Dengue

  • Cholera

  • Diptheria, Tetanus and Polio

We can also provide the following vaccinations:

We have a dedicated Travel Health and Vaccination Clinic and offer travel vaccinations and detailed travel health advice specific to your medical needs and itinerary.

We’re a registered Yellow Fever centre, and we can offer the following vaccinations:

  • Influenza (Flu)

  • MMR (Measels, Mumps and Rubella)

  • Pneumonia

  • Shingles

  • Respiratory Syncytial Virus

  • Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)

  • Whooping Cough

  • Covid

To book your vaccination, please
call us to discuss your needs

or email us at: [email protected]