People sleeping rough or in hostels in Essex can now get a free NHS flu jab. The nearest dedicated clinic to Brentwood is in Grays on 24 November.
People in Brentwood and across Essex who are sleeping rough or staying in a homeless hostel or night shelter can now get a free NHS flu vaccination, the first time they have qualified simply because they have no home. The nearest of two dedicated clinics is in Grays on Tuesday 24 November, and nobody needs to be registered with a GP or have a permanent address to be seen.
NHS Essex, the integrated care board that plans NHS services for the county, announced the change on 9 November. It follows a change to the national NHS eligibility criteria for the flu vaccine, and covers anyone aged 16 and over who is sleeping rough or living in a hostel or night shelter.
Who qualifies and where to go
The board says the change recognises that people experiencing homelessness face extra health risks, including greater vulnerability to serious illness and complications from flu.
Two clinics are being held specifically for people experiencing homelessness:
- Southend, Thursday 12 November
- Grays, Tuesday 24 November
NHS Essex has not published the venues or opening times in its release. Flu vaccination clinics for all eligible adults are also running throughout November.
People who qualify do not have to go to one of the dedicated clinics. NHS Essex says they can also get the vaccine free at participating community pharmacies, GP practices and through outreach services. Neither dedicated clinic is in Brentwood, so in the borough the routes are a participating pharmacy, a GP practice or an outreach service; the NHS has a finder for pharmacies offering the free flu vaccine.
What the NHS says
Dr Matthew Sweeting, Executive Medical Director at NHS Essex, said:
“Being ill with flu is horrible enough when you have a safe, warm place to rest and recover. For someone who doesn’t have a place to call home, getting ill can be particularly difficult, and the consequences can be much more serious.
“This year, for the first time, people who are sleeping rough or staying in homeless hostels or night shelters can get a free NHS flu vaccination, regardless of whether they would previously have qualified.
“We want to make sure people know this protection is available and that getting vaccinated is as straightforward as possible.
“The dedicated clinics in Southend and Grays offer a welcoming and supportive environment, with no judgement and no need to be registered with a GP. It’s simply an opportunity to protect yourself against what can be a very serious illness.”
What it means for you
- If you are sleeping rough or in a hostel or night shelter: you can have a free flu jab this winter if you are 16 or over. You do not need a GP or an address. Go to the Grays clinic on 24 November, the Southend clinic on 12 November, or ask at a pharmacy or GP practice.
- If you volunteer with, or work for, a shelter or outreach service in Brentwood: the people you support now qualify in their own right, whether or not they would have been eligible before.
- If you know someone this applies to: passing the dates on is the most useful thing to do: the board says it wants to make sure people know the protection is available.
Full details of who can have the flu vaccine are on the NHS website. NHS Essex has also been urging parents to book the nasal spray for young children, after figures showed only 28% of eligible two- and three-year-olds had been vaccinated by late October.
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