Dear colleague
I am writing to you in my capacity as clinical lead for the Sandwell and West
Birmingham CCG vaccine preventable illness programme.
As part of our strategy to improve awareness and uptake of the annual flu
vaccination this year, we hope to engage the support of partnership organisations
such as yours who are instrumental in the care of vulnerable people in the
community.
To this end, I have included a short information pack with this letter and would
request that can you please print some of the posters enclosed and display them in
visible areas of your organisation.
It would also be useful to make your workers aware of the flu programme by
distributing the information pack included, so that they can more effectively signpost
eligible patients to contact their GP for vaccination. Furthermore, it may serve as a
timely reminder for frontline health and social care workers within your organisation
to get vaccinated against flu themselves, as recommended by the Department of
Health and NHS England.
I thank you kindly for your invaluable support and I welcome any questions,
comments or feedback.
Yours sincerely
Dr Imran Zaman
MRCGP, MBChB, BA(Cantab), MA(Cantab)
Important resources have been hyperlinked below:
General information
Flu leaflet
Selection of flu posters A4
Flu poster A3
Flu poster A3
Flu poster A4
NHS Choices
Flu leaflet including FAQs
Flu posters selection - A4 size
Flu kills flufighter poster - A3 size
Pregnancy and don’t delay flu jab poster
Pregnancy and don’t delay flu jab poster
Key messages
What can I do to help?

Flu can cause serious illness. Protect yourself and others by getting the flu
vaccine

Raise awareness with eligible groups – ask if they have had the flu vaccine
and advise them to book with their own GP as soon as possible if they have
not

Display posters and leaflets to raise awareness of the flu campaign

Get your own flu vaccination if you are eligible!
Groups eligible for the flu vaccination
Flu vaccinations are currently offered free of charge to the following groups:
 People aged 65 years or over (including those becoming age 65 years by 31
March 2015)
 All pregnant women (including those women who become pregnant during
the flu season)
 All those aged two, three, and four years old (but not five years or older) on 1
September 2014
 All people (REGARDLESS OF AGE) with a serious medical condition such as:
o Long-term lung problems, such as severe asthma, chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease (COPD) or bronchitis
o Long-term heart problems, such as heart failure
o Chronic kidney disease
o Chronic liver disease
o Chronic neurological disease, such as Parkinson’s disease or motor
neurone disease
o Diabetes
o Spleen problems
o A weakened immune system due to disease (such as HIV/AIDS) or
treatment (such as cancer treatment)
 People living in long-stay residential care homes or other long-stay care
facilities
 People who are in receipt of a carer’s allowance, or those who are the main
carer of an older or disabled person whose welfare may be at risk if the carer
falls ill
Where can people go to receive flu vaccines?
The Flu season has started and influenza vaccinations are underway, with most
practices having dedicated flu clinics.
Patients should contact their own GP and may be able to book directly into a flu
clinic or with a practice nurse for vaccination.
Where can I go for more information?
General information
Flu leaflet
Selection of flu posters A4
Flu poster A3
Flu poster A3
Flu poster A4
NHS Choices
Flu leaflet including FAQs
Flu posters selection - A4 size
Flu kills flufighter poster - A3 size
Pregnancy and don’t delay flu jab poster
Pregnancy and don’t delay flu jab poster