Influenza 2021 -2022 Presentation for Care Providers

Influenza 2021 -2022
       Presentation for Care Providers

By Jemma Vokes Care Provider Quality Improvement Nurse N&W CCG

Flu Like illness Breakout in Care Home

What family members or other visitors can do:

• Wash hands before and after each visit.

• Wear a surgical mask

• Wear a gown and gloves if visiting someone who has a
  virus or type of bacteria that can be transmitted through
  direct contact.

• Do NOT enter the home with symptoms of Flu

Care home residents often do not have classic symptoms of
COVID-19 or influenza – consider these diagnoses if there is a
sudden deterioration in physical or mental health, with or
without fever, in the absence of a known cause

Please keep this form up to date at any time
in the event of a confirmed case of Flu within your home to
enable the correct dosages of Tamiflu to be administered to
residents

Knowledge Anglia
             Care Providers (knowledgeanglia.nhs.uk)

Annual seasonal Influenza vaccination is recommended for all
those living in care and residential homes

Influenza immunisation is recommended for all Health & Social
care workers

Ashley's Story

•   Annual seasonal Influenza vaccination is recommended for all
    those living in care and residential homes

•   Influenza immunisation is recommended for all Health &
    Social care workers

FLU VACCINATION ROLL OUT FOR RESIDENTS,
SERVICE USERS AND STAFF

The local NHS – in line with national guidance – is prioritising delivery of the influenza vaccine (flu jab) over
the COVID booster roll out for care provider staff/service users/ residents.

COVID booster vaccines can only be given a minimum six months after the second dose. It is likely that due
dates for boosters will vary amongst staff / service users / residents. Therefore, providing COVID boosters and
flu jabs together (co-administration) to the care provider cohort would be complex for immunisation teams to
deliver in most settings and situations.

Therefore, please do not expect or assume that the flu jab and COVID boosters will be delivered together
and please do not wait for the due date of boosters to arrange flu jabs when contacted by your local flu
team.

Whilst we would prefer to reduce vaccination team visits to health or care settings, it is very important that the
administration of the flu vaccine is not unduly delayed. We know that this may mean additional visits to some
services so we can administer the COVID booster vaccine to staff/service users/ residents after the flu jab has
been given.

CARE HOME VISITS – RESIDENTIAL & NURSING

We are receiving a number of enquiries from care providers requesting information about when their
aligned GP practice is planning to visit their care home to provide flu and COVID booster vaccinations to
their residents.

We know that there is a plan for scheduled visits to care homes as we have to collate this information from
primary care to share with NHS England by way of assurance, however we are also aware that current
pressures mean that planned visits may have to be postponed or rearranged at short notice.

We have kindly requested that GP practices, as soon as they have arrangements in place (e.g. confirmed
date, workforce and vaccine stock), contact their aligned care home/s as soon as possible to inform you of
the plans.

DOMICILIARY:
Housebound vaccinations and home visits

GP practices across Norfolk and Waveney are under immense pressure to deliver primary care services
and GP appointments alongside the roll out of the seasonal flu programme and COVID-19 vaccination
boosters.

Local health teams will provide home visits for those patients who have no other alternative due to
immobility or very serious ongoing health conditions. But we are asking all other patients to attend their
surgery, vaccination site or pharmacy for flu or booster vaccinations rather than requesting a home visit.

If your service user/patient requires additional support to attend a vaccination site, please ask them to
arrange for a family member or friend to transport and accompany them to their booster or flu jab
appointment.

If this support is unavailable to your service user/resident, there are a number of community transport
options they can consider through the local authority and local voluntary sector.

DOMICILIARY:
Transport Information

Norfolk community transport information:
https://www.norfolk.gov.uk/care-support-and-health/health-and-wellbeing/adults-health/coronavirus/vaccinations/getting-to-
your-vaccination
Support from Caring Together is available for carers and the people they look after to attend booster vaccination appointments.
Norfolk patients can access this support by:
Calling Caring Together on 0345 241 0954
Emailing hello@caringtogether.org
Completing the online form here: https://www.caringtogether.org/coronavirus-covid-19/support-for-carers-to-attend-covid-19-
vaccinations

Waveney community Transport information:
https://communities.suffolkonboard.com/my-area/
Calling Caring Together on 0345 241 0954
Emailing hello@caringtogether.org
Completing the online form here: https://www.caringtogether.org/coronavirus-covid-19/support-for-carers-to-attend-covid-19-
vaccinations
Waveney community Transport information:
https://communities.suffolkonboard.com/my-area/

Further Information:

Infection Control open forum every Wednesday between 3-4pm
IPaC Open Forum link to join

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-how-to-work-safely-in-care-homes

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-how-to-work-safely-in-domiciliary-care