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Your Guide to NHS Vaccinations and Cancer Screening Programmes in Wirral

January 13, 2025

Cancer Screening Programmes 🏥

Early detection saves lives. Screening programmes are a crucial opportunity to catch potential health issues before symptoms develop. Encouraging patients and community members to attend their appointments can make all the difference.

Breast Screening

Eligibility: Women aged 50 to 70 are invited for a mammogram every three years.

Access: Invitations are sent automatically. Screening is conducted at various clinics and mobile units across Wirral and Chester.

More Information: Wirral and Chester Breast Screening Programme

 

Cervical Screening

Attending cervical screenings (previously called smear tests) can prevent up to 75% of cervical cancers by detecting abnormal cells early – it isn’t a test for cancer specifically, but a check on the health of the cells of the cervix.

Offered to: Women and people with a cervix aged 25–64.

Frequency:

  • Every 3 years for those aged 25-49.
  • Every 5 years for those aged 50-64.

Access: Invitations are sent our via a letter in the post with information on how to book your appointment at your GP practice. Patients of St Catherine’s Surgery in Birkenhead can also attend the walk-in smear clinic every Tuesday 1pm – 5pm.

 

Bowel Screening

The at-home test is simple and could save a life. Over 75? Call 0800 707 60 60 to request a test kit.

Offered to: Men and women aged 54–74. People aged 54 and over will automatically receive a home test kit every two years. 

Frequency: People aged 54 and over will automatically receive a home test kit every two years. 

 

Targeted Lung Health Check

For people aged between 55 and 74 who have ever smoked (and registered with being a smoker/ex-smoker with your GP), with the aim to detect lung conditions early.

  • Eligibility: People aged 55 to 74 with a history of smoking.
  • Access: People who are eligible will receive an invitation to attend a lung health check via a text message and/or letter.
  • More Information: Targeted Lung Health Checks

Vaccination Programmes 🦠

Vaccines protect not just us as individuals, but our communities too. So, it’s really important to get your vaccines and encouraging others to take advantage of these free programmes and safeguard everyone.

Flu Vaccine

The flu vaccine reduces the risk of severe influenza, reduces strain on the NHS and helps protect vulnerable loved ones.

Free for:

  • People aged 65+
  • Pregnant women
  • Those with certain health conditions (e.g., asthma, diabetes)
  • Young children (via nasal spray)
  • Healthcare workers

Where to access:

  • GP surgeries: Contact them directly.
  • Local pharmacies: Many pharmacies, including Boots, Lloyds, Superdrug, and independent chemists, offer flu vaccines on the NHS.
  • Workplaces: Some employers provide workplace flu vaccination schemes.

Availability: Each autumn/winter.

 

COVID-19 Vaccine

Provides protection against serious illness and is crucial for staying safe through future waves of the virus and is offered during the autumn and the spring.

Offered to:

  • Adults aged 65+
  • People who are in a clinical risk group and/or residents of a care home
  • Pregnant people
  • Frontline NHS staff and social care workers

The autumn programme has come to an end in most practices, but there are catch up programmes on the following dates/times:

A table with the following information about Wirral catch-up programmes for the Covid-19 vaccine. Tuesday 4th February Rock Ferry Library / One Stop Shop, 259 Old Chester Road, Rock Ferry, CH42 3TD 10:30-16:00 Friday 14th February ASDA, Woodchuch Road, Woodchurch, CH49 5PD 10:30-16:00 Thursday 20th February Birkenhead town centre, St Werburgh's Square, Grange Precinct, Birkenhead, CH41 2XY 10:30-16:00

The spring booster programme hasn’t confirmed its roll out dates for 2025 yet, but is offered to:

  • Adults aged 75 years and over.
  • Residents in a care home for older adults.
  • Individuals aged 6 months and over who have a weakened immune system.

People will be invited to have their booster around 6 months after the last dose, but can have it as soon as 3 months.

 

Where to access: Vaccination centres and pharmacies offering the vaccines. You can book via the NHS COVID-19 Vaccination Service or contact your GP.

 

HPV Vaccine

Protects against the human papillomavirus (HPV) – a common virus that can cause cancers such as cervical, mouth and throat as well as anus and genital (but it doesn’t protect against sexually transmitted infections).

The vaccine’s showing a great success rate of preventing up to 90% of cervical cancer cases, but even so, people with a cervix should still attend their cervical cancer screening appointments when invited.

Offered to:

  • Boys and girls aged 12–13 – mainly delivered through school programmes.
  • Patients aged 14-25 can receive a first and/or second dose via their GP practice if they have been missed via the school’s programme.
  • Immunosuppressed patients aged 14 – 25, may need to have three recommended doses of HPV vaccine and can access it via their GP practice if it’s been missed by the school’s programme.
  • Gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) aged under 45 years may need two doses and can access the vaccine via Wirral Sexual Health Clinics.
  • Liverpool HIV Services offer the HPV vaccine to woman living with HIV aged 40 and under, men living with HIV under 26 years and all men who have sex with men living with HIV.

If you missed your vaccination at school, it’s encouraged that people should try and have it as soon as possible. Contact your school nurse, school immunisation team or GP practice to arrange an appointment.

 

Pneumococcal Vaccine

Protects against serious infections such as meningitis, sepsis and pneumonia – especially important for older adults.

Free for:

  • Babies
  • People aged 65+.
  • Individuals with certain health conditions.

Where to access: GP surgeries or local pharmacies offering NHS vaccinations.

 

Shingles Vaccine

Reduces the risk of shingles, a painful and potentially debilitating condition.

Offered to: Adults aged 70–79.

Where to access: GP surgeries.

 

RSV Vaccine

For protection against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) – an infection that affects the lungs and breathing tract and can be serious in babies and older adults.

Offered to: Pregnant people from 28 weeks into pregnancy, up to birth.
Adults aged 75 and over – offered to everyone turning 75 on or after Sept 1st 2024. There is also a catch-up programme available, which is offered to people aged 75-79 on or after Sept 1st 2024.

Where to access: Those who are pregnant can get the vaccine from their maternity service or at their local GP practice.

 

Children’s Immunisations

Data shows there’s been a decline in people having their children vaccinated across the UK over the last decade, which increases the chances of an outbreak of the diseases. Therefore, advice is that parents shouldn’t wait for cases of the disease to appear, but to book in for children’s vaccinations when invited, to reduce risks.

The NHS offers vaccines at various stages of a child’s life to protect against nine different infections:

  • 8 weeks (6-in-1 vaccine, Rotavirus vaccine and MenB vaccine)
  • 12 weeks (6-in-1 vaccine 2nd dose, Pneumococcal vaccine and Rotavirus vaccine 2nd dose)
  • 16 weeks (6-in-1 vaccine 3rd dose and MenB vaccine 2nd dose)
  • 1 year (Hib/MenC vaccine, MMR vaccine, Pneumococcal vaccine 2nd dose, MenB vaccine 3rd dose)
  • 2-15 years (children’s flu vaccine – yearly until children finish Year 11)
  • 3 years and 4 months old (MMR vaccine 2nd dose and 4-in-1 pre-school booster vaccine)
  • 12-13 years (HPV vaccine)
  • 14 years (3-in-1 teenage booster and MenACWY vaccine)

How to access: GP practices will contact people either via a letter, text, telephone call or an email when children are due their vaccintion. Or, people don’t even need to wait to be contacted, if a child’s due a vaccination, speak to a local child health clinic or registered GP practice to arrange.

Visit the NHS children’s vaccinations page for further info.

 


Other Programmes

Community NHS Health Check Scheme

Funded by Public Health, this initiative focuses on delivering NHS Health Checks within the community, particularly targeting groups with historically low uptake rates.

Eligibility: Adults aged 40 to 74 who have not been diagnosed with certain pre-existing conditions.

Access: Health checks are provided in community settings to improve accessibility, especially for men, individuals who misuse substances, people from Black and Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds, and residents in the most deprived areas of Wirral.

More Information: Community Health Check Scheme – One Wirral CIC


Make a Difference in Your Community

Encouraging people to participate in these programmes can significantly improve health outcomes. Many individuals simply need reassurance, education, or a friendly reminder to take the next step. By starting the conversation, you can access life-saving services.

For more information, visit the NHS Vaccinations and NHS Screening websites.

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