Immunisation All vaccinations and immunisations for Edinburgh and the Lothians are delivered by NHS Lothian and the four local health and social care partnerships. Immunisations provide vital protection against illnesses which can be serious or even fatal. When you become eligible for a vaccine, an invitation will most likely be sent directly to you (or to parents or carers). NHS Lothian always aims to make it as easy as possible for you to get the vaccinations you need to stay healthy. For more information on immunisations generally and why these are important, you can visit NHS Inform. You can find more information about COVID-19 vaccination on NHS Inform’s website. To find out how to get your vaccines locally, please visit our Vaccine Hub. Contact details for NHS Lothian’s Vaccination Enquiries Helpline are available at the end of this page. For health information in other languages and formats, please visit NHS Inform. RSV Vaccination Programme The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) have advised that an RSV immunisation programme be delivered to protect both infants and older adults from RSV. How to get the vaccine Pregnant woman who are eligible will be sent a letter advising them to contact their local midwifery team to arrange an appointment. Those born between 02 August 1944 and 31 July 1950 will have received an appointment letter for their RSV vaccination. If you were unable to attend this appointment, another will be offered in 2025. In order to provide the appointment capacity required to deliver the Winter Flu and COVID-19 programme, invitations for routine RSV vaccination will be deprioritised during this period. Please wait to be contacted by letter, text or email, depending on your chosen preference. To view local clinic opening days and hours for our Winter Vaccines programme, please visit the vaccination clinics webpage. Pregnancy During pregnancy, you’ll be offered several vaccinations to help keep you and your baby healthy. These include whooping cough, and, for those pregnant during the winter, flu and COVID-19 vaccination. Speak to your midwife to arrange your vaccinations, who can also answer any questions you may have about these. Babies and toddlers From two months of age, your baby will be offered the 6-in-1 vaccine, meningitis B, rotavirus and pneumococcal vaccines. From their first birthday, your child will be offered the Hib/Men C, MMR and booster vaccines. At three years and four months, your child will be offered further booster vaccines (MMR and the 4-in-1). Boosters are really important in order to maximise their immunity against serious illnesses. There are vaccines which are not routinely given and are only offered to certain children, such as BCG (TB). If you think your child may be eligible and has not been offered this, please get in touch with us. Children and teenagers Children and young people are offered the annual flu vaccine, which is usually administered as a painless nasal spray. Every S1 pupil in Scotland is offered the HPV vaccine, which provides vital protection against developing several types of cancer. In S3, young people will also be offered the MenACWY vaccine which helps protect against meningitis and septicaemia (blood poisoning). From S3, all young people are offered the Td/IPV vaccine (which completes their five-dose course against tetanus, diphtheria and polio). Flu, HPV, MenACWY and Td/IPV all take place in schools and consent forms will be sent home in advance. If your child has lost or misplaced the form, another can usually be obtained from the school’s administration office. If your child has missed a vaccine or booster, please contact us to see if they are still eligible. Students (UK and International) If you’ve missed out on any routine childhood vaccinations or all the necessary doses, you may still be eligible for these. If you’re not sure what vaccines you’ve had, you can contact your GP practice to check. You can self-refer for any missed vaccinations if you are aged 24 years old or under by calling the NHS Lothian Vaccination Enquiries Line on 0300 790 6296. If you are aged 25 or older, please contact your GP so you can be referred for vaccination. For more information on vaccines for students, please visit NHS Inform. Adults The HPV vaccine is available in Scotland for gay or bisexual men, and other men who have sex with men who are 45 years old or younger. The vaccine will help prevent HPV infection, which can cause genital warts and certain types of cancer. To book your vaccine, please get in touch with Chalmers Sexual Health clinic. Chalmers Sexual Health clinic also run drop-in sessions on Wednesdays, from 4pm – 6.30pm where you can be assessed and receive the vaccine if appropriate. The pneumococcal vaccine is available in Scotland for all people aged 65 years and over and those under 65 who fall into a risk group or have a serious medical condition. Those who are eligible will be invited by letter. You’re eligible for the free shingles vaccine if, on 1 September 2023, you were aged 70 or 65. This excludes people who were aged 66 to 69 on this date. You’re also eligible if you: are aged 71-79 (and have not previously had the vaccine) have a severely weakened immune system and are aged 50 or over are about to start immunosuppressive therapy and are aged 50 or over have received a stem cell transplant and are aged 18 or over are having or have had CAR-T therapy and are aged 18 or over Adults who are eligible will be invited for an annual flu vaccination and seasonal COVID-19 vaccines. It’s important to get the vaccine every time you’re offered to top up your protection. Travel Before travelling abroad, you can check the Fit for Travel website to see what vaccines are advisable, check if you need anti-malarials and get advice on how to keep yourself well. If you need a consultation, you can book this at NHS Lothian’s Travel Clinic. Contact information General enquiries (excluding school-age children) Please contact NHS Lothian’s Vaccination Enquiries Helpline if you need further advice or assistance. call 0300 790 6296. You may be asked to provide your name, date of birth, address and CHI number (if available). For health information in other languages and formats, please visit NHS Inform. Relay UK is available when contacting the Vaccination Enquiries Helpline for people with hearing or speech difficulties. NHS Lothian has no formal agreement with Relay UK, so please ensure you read this privacy statement before using the service. School-age children (ages 6 to 18) If you have queries specifically for children aged 6 to 18 who are in school, please email the Community Vaccination Team on loth.cvtschools@nhs.scot You may be asked to provide your child’s name, date of birth, address and CHI number (if available). For health information in other languages and formats, please visit NHS Inform. How do I find my or my child’s vaccination history? Check your child’s Red Book for details about immunisations they’ve received. If you don’t have a Red Book for your child, please phone your local child health team: Edinburgh: 0131 312 1860 West Lothian: 01506 524415 East Lothian & Midlothian: 0131 446 4295 For your records, please contact your GP.