Flu Season in Hurstpierpoint 2020-21

Patients of Mid Sussex Health Care doctors practice will be familiar with our annual flu vaccination programme where we facilitate large numbers of patients on a walk-in basis at Saturday morning and evening clinics across all three of our sites.

Due to Covid-19, we are having to change how we approach and manage this year’s flu season. There will be no walk-in clinics this year, ALL vaccinations will be arranged by invitation only, issued via SMS, email, phone or letter. This will allocate a time, day and location for the vaccination. We are therefore asking that patients do not turn up without having received an invite. We will be vaccinating all eligible patients in the at risk groups starting with those at highest risk. Those most at risk from the flu are also most vulnerable to Covid-19. The categories are as follows:
• Pregnant women
• Aged 6 months to 65 years in clinical risk groups: Diabetes, COPD, Learning disabilities, Coronary Heart Disease, Stroke and TIA
• Aged 65 and over
• Those in long-stay residential care homes
• Carers
• Immunocompromised patients and those living in the same house.
• Health and social care staff employed by a residential care/nursing home, registered domiciliary care provider

Commencing from the end of September and running through until November there will be various clinics running at different times of the day, evening and weekend. There will also be separate clinics for children. Where possible you will be asked to attend the surgery you are registered with. We have established a one way system to ensure that patients are not crossing one another to enter and exit the building, this may mean queuing for a while, so please bear with us. Due to the need to adhere to social distancing guidance and PPE requirements, the number of patients we can invite in at any given time is greatly reduced. However, to accommodate this there will be more flu clinic sessions made available. We respectfully ask that patients don’t call the practice to try and book an appointment for a flu vaccine, as this will impact patients trying to book urgent and routine appointments.
Protocol:
• When arriving for your appointment, please maintain social distancing at all times
• A face covering should be worn whilst queuing and at all times whilst in the building
• Please arrive at the given time for your appointment, not earlier as we are staggering the appointment times to manage the risk of contact with others as much as possible
• Please avoid bringing anyone with you unnecessarily
• To expedite the process, please wear clothing that allows easy access to the top of your arm

Access to site for Flu vaccination Hurstpierpoint:
Please make your way to the side entrance to the building, which allows access via the lower ground floor, there will be staff available to let you in and clear signage on the door. After you have had your vaccination, you will leave the building on the same level through an alternative route.
Hassocks: Access to the building will be via the side door to the right of the building as you look at it, again this will be clearly signposted and staff there to support you. There will be a one way system to clinicians and exit out of the building through the door into the car park.
Ditchling: This is the smallest of our three sites and as such allows a more limited access. The flow of patients will go along the left hand side of the building, around the back and through the rear entrance, exit will be via the front door and turn left to the car park.
The Government has advised that the flu vaccination will be rolled out to patients aged 50 – 64 years this year due to the Covid pandemic, to try and ease pressure on the NHS during the winter season. Any patients within this bracket who are in at risk groups will be invited to attend for vaccination during our first run of clinics. Once we have safely completed our at risk categories, SUBJECT TO BEING ABLE TO ACQUIRE FURTHER VACCINES – we will start inviting the new cohort of patients in the following order 60-64yrs, 55-59yrs, 50-54yrs.

Find more information from their website at https://www.midsussexhealthcare.co.uk/

Looking forward to an open High Street in Hurst

With High Street restrictions having been eased by the Government from the middle of June, many across the country will see this as a positive step towards some kind of normality after nearly three months of lockdown.

This period has meant that all the norms of life were radically changed and shopping was certainly a big part of that.

Of course, some shops in Hurstpierpoint were able to stay open – albeit under very different circumstances. Elsewhere in this magazine The Co-op management team have been given credit for being the very essence of community-minded during the peak of the crisis.

But shops like Pierpoint Pet Supplies, Gibsons and Hampers have all continued to make it possible for locals to get hold of what they needed. Nigel from JanTon newsagents would leave early in the morning for his supplier in order to get hold of much-needed stock of scarce products like flour and toilet rolls.

Jess from Poponin commented: “I am delighted that the High Street is slowly opening up again. The support from shops that were able to remain open has been great, but it will be wonderful to see others, including us, dusting things down and getting back to some normality. We look forward to throwing open our doors and welcoming you.”

The lack of open shops has not only meant a reduction in what can be purchased, but also the social joy of meeting people on the High Street. Louise from Raven explained: “It reinforces how important village life and the community is. Customers stopping for a chat on the High Street and sharing thoughts is critical for small businesses as it increases footfall.”

Nicky from Sussex Osteopath commented: “We are delighted to be back for osteopathy and counselling. It’s so lovely to see the smiling faces of my patients again, all be it that they have to then cover them with their masks!” A sentiment that is shared across the board.

“We are super excited for our Covid come back and can’t wait to see all of our lovely customers again,” Millie from Marram said.

Murray explained that The New Inn team has taken the time to refurbish, redecorate and re-equip the pub: “But now we must focus on customer safety. We will be doing our absolute best to ensure that our customers can be as confident as possible that their visit will not be putting them at any increased risk of infection.”

Ann from Columbines Health & Beauty said: “I have really enjoyed having the time off during lockdown and have done loads of things, jobs around my home and garden, helping hedgehogs and baking cakes for the neighbours etc! But now is the time to get back to real life, and I am really looking forward to seeing clients again.”

“We can’t wait to see everyone once we reopen,” echoed Daniel from Lustig & Webb. “But Stephen and I have enjoyed walking out into the fields and really getting to know the area better. The sense of community is so strong. We are very lucky to be here.”

Never has it been more important to support those shops and businesses on our doorstep – many of whom have had a very tough few months. But some of whom have taken great personal risks to stay open for business at a time when many of us were safely sitting in our homes.

We end with these positive words from Louise: “We were actually counting the sleeps until reopening and are really excited to have now done so! I am hopeful that small High Street businesses will thrive in this new world.”