Shingrix Shingles Vaccine

Living with and after blood cancer
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Hello

I’m a 80 years old lady who has had Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) for the past 22 years.

I recently made an appointment at my surgery to recieve the Shingrix Shingles vaccine but when I attended my appointment I was turned away and told I couldn’t have it due to my age even though I have a weakened immune system due to my Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) and the nurse was aware of this from my notes.

I was told by my Consultant to contact my surgery to get this vaccine as it has now become available.

So am I entitled to it or not??

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Hi a great big welcome @SteepleMordenGal I am not sure the answer to your very good question so what I will do is copy your post to the Blood Cancer UK Nurses for you. @BloodCancerUK_Nurses.
Please do let us know how you get on.
Look after yourself.

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Good morning @SteepleMordenGal, thanks for sharing and I do hope you’re doing okay. I’m sorry to hear you were turned away for your vaccine. There have been some recent changes from the 1st of September which now mean there is no upper age limit for the Shingles vaccine for those who are immunocompromised (e.g., those living with blood cancer). I have pasted the relevant section from our website (link here) in case it might be helpful to show this to your GP surgery:

"From 1 September 2023, the Shingrix® vaccine will be available to more people with blood cancer. Shingrix is the non-live vaccine for shingles.

Shingrix® will now be available to anyone who is immunocompromised (including people with blood cancer) aged 50 and above (with no upper age limit). We understand this applies across the UK (England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland).

For everyone else, the shingles vaccine will start to be offered from the age of 60 rather than 70. Also from 1 September 2023, Shingrix® will be used for everyone else who is newly eligible, being the main vaccine used across the whole shingles vaccination programme.

This is a positive step for people with blood cancer, who can now get protection from shingles at an earlier age.

Shingrix® is given in two doses. The second dose should be given from 8 weeks to 6 months after the first one. You only need to do this once - you don’t need to repeat the course again.

You should be invited by your GP for a shingles vaccine. If not, you can contact them to ask about it."

In case it’s useful at all, there’s more information here- Shingles immunisation programme: information for healthcare practitioners - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

Please don’t hesitate to give us a call if you’d like to talk this through (0808 2080 888), and do let us know how you get on if you can.

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Hello

Thankyou very much for your help.

I rang my surgery this morning to clarify with them about what I’ve read via here,NHS and Government website as it clearly states I can have it done,I was told by surgery receptionist I can’t be because of my age and that’s all I was told and she wouldn’t pass on a message to my GP for me.

I will be seeing my Consultant in October and I will be telling him about what my practice have said.

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Hi @SteepleMordenGal. I’m so sorry you got that response from your GP - it doesn’t sound like they were very helpful. Please let us know how you get on with the consultant. Hopefully he will be able to advise you of your next steps. Maybe worth giving the support line a ring to X

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