Welcome to Bridges Family Practice
With patients' needs at the heart of everything we do, our website has been designed to make it easy for you to gain instant access to the information you need. As well as specific practice details such as opening hours and how to register, you’ll find a wealth of useful pages covering a wide range of health issues along with links to other relevant medical organisations.
COVID VACCINE BOOSTERS
Please see below link to get information on covid booster vaccines.
The surgery has currently some LIMITED appointments for booster vaccination available. Please phone to book an appointment. Alternatively please attend trust vaccine clinics or pharmacies as per detail on link below.
https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/get-covid-19-vaccination-and-booster-northern-Ireland
Get a COVID-19 vaccination and booster in Northern Ireland
Health and Social Care (HSC) Trust vaccination hubs across NI are providing COVID-19 vaccine booster doses, as well as first and second doses to those who are not yet vaccinated. GPs and participating pharmacies are also providing boosters for those currently eligible, while pharmacies are available for first and second COVID-19 vaccine doses to everyone aged 18 and over.
Who can get a COVID-19 vaccine
Anyone aged 12 years over who is a resident of Northern Ireland is eligible to be vaccinated as part of the COVID-19 vaccination programme. You generally have to be registered with a GP in Northern Ireland.
If you live in NI but are not registered with a GP in NI, or are temporarily a resident in NI, you can probably still receive a vaccine but you will need to bring evidence of your address in NI to your vaccination appointment. Should there be an issue with this you can email the Department of Health at the address below and they will advise you:
The required interval between first and second doses is eight weeks for anyone aged 18 years and over for all three COVID-19 vaccines currently in use in Northern Ireland - Pfizer, Moderna and Astra Zeneca. Different rules apply for anyone aged 12 to 17 years of age.
More information on what vaccine you can get, where to get it, and how to book (where required) is available below.
Who can get a COVID-19 booster vaccination
Find out who is eligible for the COVID-19 booster at:
Where to get a vaccination - aged 12 to 17 years
Initially most 12 to 17 year olds were only eligible for the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine, which is the vaccine recommended for those aged under 18 years of age, unless you were in an ‘at risk’ group or shared the house with an immunosuppressed person.
However, following updated advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), all 12 to 17 year olds are now eligible to receive a second dose of the Pfizer vaccine.
In most cases, this should be 12 weeks apart, or 12 weeks post infection for those who have since been infected with COVID-19 after they received their first dose.
A large percentage of the vaccinations for 12 to 17 year olds had been provided through the school vaccination programme, however this age group can also receive their vaccination at any of the Trust vaccination hubs now operating.
The school-based programme is due to finish in the next few weeks and from then any further first or second doses for this age group will be administered at the Trust hubs.
Further information on these locations is available on the Trust websites.
Where to get a vaccination - aged 18 years and over
Trust vaccination hubs and community pharmacies across NI are providing first and second doses to everyone aged 18 and over who has yet to receive their first two primary doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.
Trust vaccination teams are also responsible for vaccinating care home staff and residents, as well as people who are housebound, and their own eligible staff.
There are two types of primary COVID-19 vaccines offered at community pharmacies: Moderna and Astra Zeneca.
Following updated advice from JCVI, it is preferable that people aged under 40 years of age receive an alternative to the AstraZeneca vaccine.
Find out which pharmacies are offering the Moderna or AstraZeneca vaccines at the links below:
RNIB helpline
If you are blind or partially sighted and need help in accessing the details of your local participating pharmacy, you can contact RNIB, Monday to Friday from 8.00 am to 8.00 pm and Saturday from 9.00 am to 1.00 pm.
This is not a booking line and the operator cannot help organise any vaccination appointments.
Calls cost no more than a standard rate call, or count towards any inclusive minutes, to an 01 or 02 number. The price of calls varies between different providers, so check with your provider if you are unsure.
If you only need a second dose
Generally you should receive the same type of vaccine for your second dose as you received from your first dose, and ideally this should be given by the same provider.
Second doses are available at participating community pharmacies or at Trust vaccination hubs and mobile clinics, details of which can be found at the links below. You may also wish to check neighbouring Trust websites in case there are convenient clinics outside your Trust area.
Pregnant or believe to be pregnant
In the early stages of the vaccination programme, pregnant women were asked to hold back on getting their jabs. This was a precautionary measure, which allowed more data to become available on safety.
With that data now obtained, pregnant women are advised to get vaccinated.
For advice about getting the COVID-19 vaccination, you can speak to your obstetric provider or midwife.
Pregnant women can receive their vaccination at their local community pharmacy, or Health and Social Care Trusts are running special antenatal vaccination clinics - check with your Trust for details.
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) has produced detailed questions and answers on COVID-19 vaccines, pregnancy and breastfeeding at this link:
More information is available on the British Fertility Society website(external link opens in a new window / tab).
COVID-19 booster vaccination
Health Trust vaccination hubs are now open for walk-in boosters for anyone aged 30 and over who is at least three months from their second vaccine dose.
There is very strong demand for boosters. People are asked to be patient in the event of any queues. People aged 30 plus can also book a vaccination appointment slot at these hubs:
The booster programme will be extended to 18-29 year olds as soon as possible.
The booster programme involves the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines. Your booster dose does not have to be same vaccine as your first and second doses.
The latest details of vaccination hub locations and opening times are available on the Health Trust websites at the links below. Mobile clinics are also being arranged. You may also wish to check neighbouring Trust websites in case there are convenient clinics outside your Trust area:
There are details of community pharmacies providing boosters at this link:
Third dose for those severely immunosuppressed
JCVI has also advised that a third primary dose should be offered to a small number of individuals aged 12 years and over with severe immunosuppression.
This third primary dose should then be followed with a fourth dose from three months after the third primary dose is administered.
These individuals will be identified by their Trust clinician or GP and invited to receive a third primary dose and after three months a fourth dose.
Vaccine safety
The vaccines have met strict standards of safety, quality and effectiveness set out by the independent Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). More information is available at:
Follow the public health advice after being vaccinated
Two doses of the current approved vaccines have shown a high level of protection against serious illness from COVID-19, but no vaccine gives 100 per cent protection.
As the COVID-19 vaccines are new, research is ongoing to see what impact they have on reducing the spread of the disease and to examine the extent to which vaccinated people can still pass the infection on to others.
Therefore, after vaccination, you must continue to follow the public health advice and comply with restrictions. You still need to:
- practise social distancing
- wear a face covering
- wash your hands carefully and often
- comply with restrictions
Proof of vaccination
For the latest travel advice go to:
Information on how to apply for proof of vaccination is available at:
Further information about the vaccine
The Public Health Agency has developed a range of leaflets and a frequently asked questions section:
Minor ailments
Many minor ailments can be treated by your pharmacist without an appointment. Please click the link for a list of appropriate conditions.
Pharmacy minor ailments