"Flu Jabs for children"

[foxydebs]

Blimey, you just can't win can you?? The flu vaccination system is a bit of a farce. I used to get a vaccination until two years ago when they changed the rules to say that as an asthmatic you could only have it if you had previously had a hospital admission for an asthma attack. They didn't tell me - I had to ask when it got to the end of November and I realised i hadn't had my usual letter.

 

Im asthmatic and have a flu jab every year and they have never told me that you can only have it if you have previously had an hospital admission for an asthma attack.

My mum works for a GP practice that comes under Doncaster PCT and she says that you don't have to have been in hospital with asthma to be entitled to the flu jab, you need to have either severe asthma or be on drug treatment for asthma. It also backs this up on the NHS choices website.

 

I am on seretide inhaler twice a day and ventolin as required and have a packet of steroids for back up treatment for when my asthma starts to get worse, touch wood it hasn't been too bad this winter, unlike last winter when I ended up with a chest infection and on antibiotics and steroids, but did not require hospitalisation.

[Twiglet]

Im asthmatic and have a flu jab every year and they have never told me that you can only have it if you have previously had an hospital admission for an asthma attack.

My mum works for a GP practice that comes under Doncaster PCT and she says that you don't have to have been in hospital with asthma to be entitled to the flu jab, you need to have either severe asthma or be on drug treatment for asthma. It also backs this up on the NHS choices website.

 

I am on seretide inhaler twice a day and ventolin as required and have a packet of steroids for back up treatment for when my asthma starts to get worse, touch wood it hasn't been too bad this winter, unlike last winter when I ended up with a chest infection and on antibiotics and steroids, but did not require hospitalisation.

 

Thanks, that's interesting. I'm under a different PCT so it may be that. My GP surgery told me that they defined 'severe asthma' as meaning you'd previously been hospitalised for it. They mentioned nothing about drug treatment.

[ka2010]

well gp today changed their mind, son can have the flu jab as he is considered in 1 of the at risk groups, ie, asthma, however when i pointed out he has an egg alergy would that be a problem as something was niggling me... the receptionist then said oh no...he cant have it then...back to square one gp appointment friday to see what we do? anyone know what can be done if thats the case ie...egg allergy?

[foxydebs]

Thanks, that's interesting. I'm under a different PCT so it may be that. My GP surgery told me that they defined 'severe asthma' as meaning you'd previously been hospitalised for it. They mentioned nothing about drug treatment.

 

well im under sheffield PCT and get a flu jab every year, i normally book in for mine as soon as I know the jabs are available. Its just my mum who works under doncaster PCT, my sister does too but at a different doctors to my mums, out of interest I will ask her what her practices rules on it are.

[missymoo73]

My friend rang her dr's surgery today as she had heard that all "vunerable" children should be vaccinated and her child has Asthma. But she was told by the Practice Nurse that they are no longer giving it to children under 5 whether they are at risk or not.