Seasonal Flu Immunisation Programme
- People who have an underlying health condition, pregnant women and everyone aged 50 and over are eligible for a flu vaccine in Scotland this winter.
- People aged 50-64 with no underlying health conditions are being invited for their flu vaccine appointments from 4th September.
- Children 6 months to under 2 years (at risk), 2-5 years old (not in school), school age pupils,
- Frontline health and social care workers and non-frontline NHS staff,
- Teaching and support staff,
- Prison population and prison staff are also eligible for a flu vaccine this winter.
As always, Scotland’s vaccination programme is guided by the independent expert advice of The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). The JCVI has not yet published its advice for this winter’s COVID-19 vaccine programme.
We await the JCVI advice before advising if you are eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine this winter. Following publication of the JCVI advice, if you are eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine, NHS Scotland will be in contact with you.
In the meantime, please attend your flu vaccine appointment if you are invited. NHS Scotland strongly recommends you get your vaccines as soon as they’re offered to you.
You have to get vaccinated every year because flu viruses are constantly changing.
This year’s flu vaccine has been made to give you the best possible protection against the viruses likely to be circulating this winter.
Information about the flu vaccine is also available at NHS Inform alongside leaflets and information in other languages and formats (including BSL).
Healthcare Improvement Scotland
Seasonal Flu Immunisation Programme - 2023 / 24
Why should I get the Flu Vaccine?
It is recommended that everyone takes the flu vaccine to protect them from getting flu and to reduce transmission of flu. Flu is spread by coughing and sneezing. The elderly and at-risk patients rely on the immunity of those who care for them to keep them safe. Anyone with flu can be infectious however not have any symptoms until day 3 - 5. This means even before you know that you are sick, you can pass on flu or the flu virus to somebody you care for. With your help, by having your flu vaccination, we can hopefully protect our patients, donors, colleagues and families over the forthcoming winter.
Booking on the NHS Inform Vaccination Portal will open on the 8th August 2023.
You may have already received a text message from the NHSSCOVacc inviting you to book a flu vaccine appointment, please ensure that you follow the text link and book the most suitable time, date and venue. Postal invites will arrive in white envelopes with clear NHS Scotland branding.
If you are not registered on the NHS Scotland Vaccination Portal please go to the NHS Inform Website, click the Booking Portal Link and create an account under New User.
If you can’t remember your username and password this can easily be requested via the portal and there is also a freephone Helpline available on 0800 030 8013 which supports any questions and queries of booking and changing appointments
Please note Health Boards are adding more clinics each day; so if you don't see a suitable appointment for you, please keep checking back.
More information can be found on HR Connect, and if you have any other questions, please submit a Contact Us request via HR Connect identifying the category as Occupational Health and subcategory as Vaccination Program.
National Services Scotland
Seasonal Flu Immunisation Programme - 2023 / 24
Why should I get the Flu Vaccine?
It is recommended that everyone takes the flu vaccine to protect them from getting flu and to reduce transmission of flu. Flu is spread by coughing and sneezing. The elderly and at-risk patients rely on the immunity of those who care for them to keep them safe. Anyone with flu can be infectious however not have any symptoms until day 3 - 5. This means even before you know that you are sick, you can pass on flu or the flu virus to somebody you care for. With your help, by having your flu vaccination, we can hopefully protect our patients, donors, colleagues and families over the forthcoming winter.
Booking on the NHS Inform Vaccination Portal will open on the 8th August 2023.
You may have already received a text message from the NHSSCOVacc inviting you to book a flu vaccine appointment, please ensure that you follow the text link and book the most suitable time, date and venue. Postal invites will arrive in white envelopes with clear NHS Scotland branding.
If you are not registered on the NHS Scotland Vaccination Portal please go to the NHS Inform Website, click the Booking Portal Link and create an account under New User.
If you can’t remember your username and password this can easily be requested via the portal and there is also a freephone Helpline available on 0800 030 8013 which supports any questions and queries of booking and changing appointments
Please note Health Boards are adding more clinics each day; so if you don't see a suitable appointment for you, please keep checking back.
More information can be found on HR Connect, and if you have any other questions, please submit a Contact Us request via HR Connect identifying the category as Occupational Health and subcategory as Vaccination Program.
NHS Education for Scotland
Seasonal Flu Immunisation Programme - 2023 / 24
Why should I get the Flu Vaccine?
It is recommended that everyone takes the flu vaccine to protect them from getting flu and to reduce transmission of flu. Flu is spread by coughing and sneezing. The elderly and at-risk patients rely on the immunity of those who care for them to keep them safe. Anyone with flu can be infectious however not have any symptoms until day 3 - 5. This means even before you know that you are sick, you can pass on flu or the flu virus to somebody you care for. With your help, by having your flu vaccination, we can hopefully protect our patients, donors, colleagues and families over the forthcoming winter.
Booking on the NHS Inform Vaccination Portal will open on the 8th August 2023.
You may have already received a text message from the NHSSCOVacc inviting you to book a flu vaccine appointment, please ensure that you follow the text link and book the most suitable time, date and venue. Postal invites will arrive in white envelopes with clear NHS Scotland branding.
If you are not registered on the NHS Scotland Vaccination Portal please go to the NHS Inform Website, click the Booking Portal Link and create an account under New User.
If you can’t remember your username and password this can easily be requested via the portal and there is also a freephone Helpline available on 0800 030 8013 which supports any questions and queries of booking and changing appointments
Please note Health Boards are adding more clinics each day; so if you don't see a suitable appointment for you, please keep checking back.
More information can be found on HR Connect, and if you have any other questions, please submit a Contact Us request via HR Connect identifying the category as Occupational Health and subcategory as Vaccination Program.
Public Health Scotland
Seasonal Flu Immunisation Programme - 2023 / 24
Why should I get the Flu Vaccine?
It is recommended that everyone takes the flu vaccine to protect them from getting flu and to reduce transmission of flu. Flu is spread by coughing and sneezing. The elderly and at-risk patients rely on the immunity of those who care for them to keep them safe. Anyone with flu can be infectious however not have any symptoms until day 3 - 5. This means even before you know that you are sick, you can pass on flu or the flu virus to somebody you care for. With your help, by having your flu vaccination, we can hopefully protect our patients, donors, colleagues and families over the forthcoming winter.
Booking on the NHS Inform Vaccination Portal will open on the 8th August 2023.
You may have already received a text message from the NHSSCOVacc inviting you to book a flu vaccine appointment, please ensure that you follow the text link and book the most suitable time, date and venue. Postal invites will arrive in white envelopes with clear NHS Scotland branding.
If you are not registered on the NHS Scotland Vaccination Portal please go to the NHS Inform Website, click the Booking Portal Link and create an account under New User.
If you can’t remember your username and password this can easily be requested via the portal and there is also a freephone Helpline available on 0800 030 8013 which supports any questions and queries of booking and changing appointments
Please note Health Boards are adding more clinics each day; so if you don't see a suitable appointment for you, please keep checking back.
More information can be found on HR Connect, and if you have any other questions, please submit a Contact Us request via HR Connect identifying the category as Occupational Health and subcategory as Vaccination Program.
Scottish Ambulance Service
Seasonal Flu Immunisation Programme - 2023 / 24
Why should I get the Flu Vaccine?
It is recommended that everyone takes the flu vaccine to protect them from getting flu and to reduce transmission of flu. Flu is spread by coughing and sneezing. The elderly and at-risk patients rely on the immunity of those who care for them to keep them safe. Anyone with flu can be infectious however not have any symptoms until day 3 - 5. This means even before you know that you are sick, you can pass on flu or the flu virus to somebody you care for. With your help, by having your flu vaccination, we can hopefully protect our patients, donors, colleagues and families over the forthcoming winter.
Booking on the NHS Inform Vaccination Portal will open on the 8th August 2023.
You may have already received a text message from the NHSSCOVacc inviting you to book a flu vaccine appointment, please ensure that you follow the text link and book the most suitable time, date and venue. Postal invites will arrive in white envelopes with clear NHS Scotland branding.
If you are not registered on the NHS Scotland Vaccination Portal please go to the NHS Inform Website, click the Booking Portal Link and create an account under New User.
If you can’t remember your username and password this can easily be requested via the portal and there is also a freephone Helpline available on 0800 030 8013 which supports any questions and queries of booking and changing appointments
Please note Health Boards are adding more clinics each day; so if you don't see a suitable appointment for you, please keep checking back.
More information can be found on HR Connect, and if you have any other questions, please submit a Contact Us request via HR Connect identifying the category as Occupational Health and subcategory as Vaccination Program.
- Flu 23 - How to rearrange or opt-out of your vaccination appointmentNational Services Scotland, Public Health Scotland
Rearrange or opt-out of your vaccination appointment
NHS Scotland will contact you about your vaccination appointments.
Rearranging your appointment
This information is for people who want to rearrange an existing appointment.
For all coronavirus vaccination appointments for children under 12, you should phone the national vaccination helpline to rearrange.
If you're trying to rearrange your appointment online and there are no vaccination appointments available, please check again later. The national vaccination helpline will be unable to offer alternative appointments as they use the same online booking system.
Alternatively, you can attend a drop-in clinic. Check your local health board website or their social media channels to find out if there are drop-in clinics available in your area.
National vaccination helpline
Alternatively, you can phone the national vaccination helpline on 0800 030 8013 to rearrange your appointment. The helpline is open from 9am to 6pm Monday to Friday, 9am to 1pm on Saturday and closed on Sunday.
Help with logging in
Even if you have never logged in before, you can find your username on your appointment letter or by using the 'Get your username' option.
You can then set up a password by selecting the new user option to register.
If you've lost or forgotten your username, you can recover it by selecting the 'Get your username' option.
If you've lost or forgotten your password, you can recover it by selecting the 'Forgotten your password' option.
If you missed your scheduled appointment
If you have missed your vaccination appointment, you must wait 72 hours after the time of that appointment before you can book a new one via the online booking portal.
If you're unwell on the day of your appointment
If you’re unwell, wait until you’ve recovered to have your coronavirus vaccine. You should not attend an appointment if you have a fever or think you might be infectious to others.
Cancelling your appointment or opting out
NHS Scotland strongly recommends you get vaccinations when they are offered to you.
However, if you decide to cancel your appointment or opt-out of getting vaccinated, you should do this online via the booking portal or phone the national vaccination helpline on 0800 030 8013. Appointments for children under 12 can only be cancelled by phoning the helpline.
You are only opting-out of coronavirus and flu vaccinations under the current programme. In the interest of public health, NHS Scotland would invite you forward for vaccination again if there was a new coronavirus pandemic emergency. But you would be able to opt-out again at that point. If you are eligible for other vaccine programmes, you will still be invited for those.
Your data will remain on the system, in case you wish to opt back in at any point in the future.
If you change your mind after opting-out and want to get vaccinated, phone the appropriate number using the details on this page.
Choosing how you'd like to be contacted
You can now update your contact details and your preferred method of contact on the online portal. If you select to receive future correspondence about your coronavirus and flu vaccines by email or SMS then you will no longer receive future letters with this information. Watch the youtube video to updating your personal details and communication preferences.
- Flu 23 - How to book an appointmentNational Services Scotland, Public Health Scotland
You may want to take a look at the youtube video - How to book your vaccine appointment online video
Online booking portal
You can log in to book using your unique username and password. This is the same as you had for your previous doses of the coronavirus vaccine.
- You can rearrange your appointment if the time or day doesn't suit you.
What if I've never logged in before?
Even if you have never logged in before, you can find your username on your appointment letter or by using the 'Get your username' option.
You can then set up a password by selecting the new user option to register.
What if I can't find a suitable appointment?
If you can't find a suitable appointment, please keep checking as new ones are added regularly.
Can I book by phone instead?
The easiest way to book an appointment is online. It takes just a few minutes. Please be aware the helpline only has access to the same appointments on the portal. However, you can phone the national vaccination helpline on 0800 030 8013 to book your appointment.
How do I recover my username and password?
If you've lost or forgotten your username, you can recover it by selecting the 'Get your username' option.
If you've lost or forgotten your password, you can recover it by selecting the 'Forgotten your password' option.
- Flu 23 - What are the vaccine side effects?National Services Scotland, Public Health Scotland
Side effects of the flu vaccine
Like all medicines, the flu vaccine can cause side effects. They're usually mild and normally last only a day or two. It’s normal to experience side effects after a vaccine. It shows the vaccine is teaching your body’s immune system how to protect itself from the disease. But not everyone gets side effects.
Side effects are usually mild and may include:
- tenderness, swelling and/or redness at the site of the injection
- headache
- muscle aches
- fever (temperature 38°C or above)
You may also feel generally unwell. These common side effects are much less serious than developing flu or complications associated with flu, and they usually go away within a few days.
You can rest and take the normal dose of paracetamol (follow the advice in the packaging) to help make yourself feel better.
Where can I report suspected side effects?
You can report suspected side effects of vaccines and medicines through the Yellow Card Scheme.
This can be done by:
- visiting the Yellow Card Scheme website
- using the Yellow Card app
- phoning the Yellow Card hotline 0800 731 6789
More information about vaccine side effects
More information on the possible side effects of the flu vaccine is available in the patient information leaflets.
- Flu 23 - NHS Inform web linksNational Services Scotland, Public Health Scotland
To read more about the Winter Vaccines please click here to take you to the NHS Inform Website
- Coronavirus - How do I get my Covid vaccination Certificate?Healthcare Improvement Scotland, National Services Scotland, NHS Education for Scotland, Public Health Scotland
If you were vaccinated through the NSS Vaccination programme you can now access your vaccination information
How to access my vaccination information
