Aultbea and Gairloch Medical Practice seeking help for flu vaccine marshalling at forthcoming clinics

A MEDICAL practice in Ross-shire is on the lookout for volunteers to help with its next flu clinic.

The appeal for marshals from Aultbea and Gairloch Medical Practice comes in the wake of its first successful flu clinic which was held last Tuesday.

Its next clinic is scheduled for Tuesday, October 19 and its keen to identify volunteers who could help at that and future ones.

In an update it said: "We held our first influenza vaccination clinic of this year’s campaign on Tuesday. October 5. We successfully vaccinated 425 patients which is by some margin the most jags we have delivered in a single day. The next clinic is being held on Tuesday, October 19 in the Gairloch Community Centre when we are aiming to further increase the number we vaccinate.

"We have around 1600 patients eligible to receive the influenza vaccine from the practice which is almost 70% of the practice population. We have been allocated flu vaccine sufficient for 75 per cent of our eligible patients so we would encourage anyone who wishes to receive the flu vaccination this year to make an appointment when we get in touch.

"The flu clinic set up is very similar to the model we used this year for Covid vaccinations. Patients attend at their appointment time in 10-minute slots at Gairloch Community Centre. It is a 'walk through' model as there is no need for patients to wait for 15 minutes after receiving their flu vaccination."

It is contacting patients aged 65 and over. Other eligible cohorts will be invited to attend later clinics. It is not offering Covid boosters at the same clinic, it says.

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