Free NHS flu jab for carers

Carers Bucks have launched a discount card which can also be used to claim a free flu jab from a participating pharmacy.

So that carers are protected from catching flu and passing it on to the vulnerable person who they are caring for, they are identified as an at-risk group and therefore eligible for a free NHS flu jab.

Free flu jabs are offered every year from October to the end of March the following year and are available from your GP or from a participating pharmacy.

If you are the main carer for someone who is ill, disabled or elderly, they may be put at risk if you fall ill – that’s why you are likely to be eligible for a free flu jab, regardless of whether you receive Carer’s Allowance.

‘The problem is that many people don’t see themselves as carers, are not registered with their GP and therefore won’t be able to benefit from the protection the flu jab offers to them and those they care for,‘ said Martin Phillips, Buckinghamshire County Council Cabinet Member for Community Engagement & Public Health.

He continued: ‘When we care for others it’s easy to focus on them and forget about our own health, but by protecting ourselves we can ensure we are well enough to care for those we love. That’s why, as a carer, the flu jab is important to protect both you and those you look after.‘

It couldn’t be easier to get your free flu jab, as Carers Bucks now have a discount card for carers with a number of benefits provided by local organisations, which can also be used to claim the free flu jab from a participating pharmacy.

The list of pharmacies can be found at the following link : http://www.carersbucks.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Pharmacy-flu-sign-up-201617.pdf.

Further information on the discount card can be found at http://www.carersbucks.org/services/carers-discount-card/.