Winter Vaccination Programme 2022 to 2023: COVID-19 and seasonal flu deployment plan
Annual plan including target groups and timescales.
Delivery models
As Scotland transitions from pandemic emergency response to pandemic recovery, Health Boards are transitioning to a targeted and focussed vaccination model, incorporating the intelligence gained from the successes of our programmes thus far.
The Scottish Government works with territorial Health Boards to prepare robust plans for delivery of the Winter programme. Some regional variation in delivery may exist given the varying challenges experienced by certain Health Boards, including remote geography and ageing demographics, thus using a delivery model most suitable for their local circumstances. The below delivery models are generalised based upon plans submitted by each Health Board, but please note that some local variation may continue to exist.
Delivery models for eligible cohorts
Patient type |
Delivery model |
|
Care home residents |
Health Boards are prioritising care homes at the beginning of the vaccination programme; and are planning to deliver both COVID-19 and flu vaccinations within the care home for staff and residents |
|
Housebound patients |
Housebound patients have been identified through their local GP, and boards will deliver combined flu/COVID-19 vaccination within their homes with some utilising the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) to support this. |
|
Carers |
Carers will be invited to book their combined flu/COVID-19 appointment using the online portal, with a range of sites/times available to choose from. |
|
Health and Social Care Workers (HSCW) |
HSCWs will be invited to book their appointment using the online portal, with a range of sites/times available to choose from. Some boards will be offering drop-in clinics or peer vaccination within hospital settings for frontline staff. Frontline HSCWs are eligible for both flu and COVID-19 vaccination. Non-frontline NHS staff are eligible for flu vaccination alone through their Occupational Health service. This will be delivered in the same mechanism as frontline workers. Other non-NHS HSC employers may offer non-frontline staff a flu vaccination, but that is a decision for employers and does not form part of the winter programme. |
|
16 to 64 years old (at risk) |
At-risk groups will be scheduled a combined flu/COVID-19 appointment date/time to the clinic nearest their home address. This can be rescheduled via the online portal if required. |
|
5 to 15 years old (at risk) |
At-risk children will be scheduled a COVID-19 appointment at the clinic nearest their home address. This can be rescheduled via the National Call Centre if required. Flu vaccination will be delivered at school clinics. |
|
Household contacts of immunosuppressed |
Household contacts of the immunosuppressed and carers are difficult to identify and will not be lettered. All appointment letters to the other lettered groups will include details on how carers and household contacts of the immunosuppressed can book appointments. We will also reach out to these groups, at the time that the at risk cohort is called, via national and local communications and carer organisations. |
|
65 years and over |
Those aged 65-years and over will be scheduled a combined flu/COVID-19 appointment date/time to the clinic nearest their home address. This can be rescheduled via the online portal if required. |
|
50-64 years old |
Those aged 50-64 years old who are otherwise healthy will be invited to book their combined flu/COVID-19 appointment using the online portal, with a range of sites/times available to choose from. |
|
Pregnant persons |
Both COVID-19 and flu vaccinations will be offered to pregnant persons during this Winter programme. These will be delivered through midwives, or by inviting them to self-book via the online portal. |
|
Children under 5 years old |
Children aged 6 months to 2 years old (with an eligible health condition) and those aged 2 to 5 years old will be offered flu vaccination this year. This will be delivered in various settings, with some health boards utilising specialised clinics, GP settings or early-year nurseries. Please refer to your local Health Board for further guidance. |
|
Primary and secondary school pupils |
Primary and secondary school pupils will be offered flu vaccination through their school. |
|
Teachers and support staff |
Teachers – primary, secondary and nursery teachers - and school support staff will be offered flu vaccination through school clinics, or will be invited to self-book via the online portal with a range of sites/times available to choose from. |
|
Prison population and support staff |
Flu vaccination will be offered to prisoners, prison officers and support staff with delivery on-site within prisons. Further appointments will be available for staff to self-book using the online portal with a range of sites/times available to choose from. |
Inclusion of access has been an important guiding principle throughout the vaccination programme thus far, ensuring a balance is struck between pace and ensuring no-one is left unprotected, in particular those most at risk from the virus. In response to impact assessments, emerging insights, research and data we have worked with Health Boards and the voluntary sector to engage with under-served communities in new and creative ways. This has resulted in greater success in ensuring vaccination is accessible and person-centred, with targeted activity resulting in greater uptake. Working with partners we will continue to embed this learning and improve our data and evidence base to better understand the barriers to vaccination and how we can overcome them. Our National Vaccine Inclusive Steering Group, made up of third sector groups, Health Boards, PHS and other key partners, continues to inform our inclusive approach.
Examples of inclusion activity as planned by Health Boards include working with specialist statutory and third sector organisations to ensure they reach certain underserved groups, such as those experiencing homelessness, substance misuse and people from Gypsy/Traveller communities.
Many Health Boards are making use of the Scottish Ambulance Service to reach deprived or rural communities, and some areas have their own mobile units which they will deploy in response to evidence of low uptake and barriers.
Health Boards are ensuring vaccine clinics are locally based, and where possible, located in trusted community settings such as churches and community centres.
Many also have partnership arrangements with local providers and volunteers to help people with free and accessible transport to get them to their appointment.
Each Health Board has taken the time to understand the needs of their own community and put in place an approach that will best suit their populations.
Winter vaccination delivery timeline for selected cohorts
Cohort |
Projected start date (week commencing) |
|
Health and Social Care Workers |
5 September |
|
Care Home Residents |
5 September |
|
Those aged 65 and over |
19 September |
|
Those at clinical risk |
24 October |
|
Those aged 50 to 64 |
31 October |
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