- People experiencing homelessness will be given free flu vaccination on the NHS
- Vaccinations will be made available as part of the rollout later this year and ahead of winter
- Government fulfilling its promise to help protect those most at risk
People experiencing homelessness in England will be offered free flu jabs on the NHS.
A vaccination programme will support those experiencing rough sleeping and people staying in homeless hostels or night shelters, protecting people at high risk of serious respiratory illness who are too often left behind.
We know that people experiencing homelessness are more likely to experience worse NHS access, worse outcomes and to die younger. Through the 10 Year Health Plan, the government vowed to provide an NHS designed to tackle such inequalities and give everyone, no matter who they are or where they come from, the means to engage with the NHS on their own terms.
The flu vaccination programme for people experiencing homelessness will begin in Autumn, in line with when the next season of flu vaccinations are available.
The update comes after the government accepted the expert advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation to make NHS pneumonia and seasonal flu vaccinations available to those experiencing homelessness.
Steve Davies, Regional Head at St Mungo’s, said:
“Contracting the flu can be dangerous even with a roof over your head. Experiencing homelessness alongside the flu can dramatically increase the risk of hospital admission – and even death.
“Health needs generally are becoming more acute amongst the people we support. Initiatives like this go a long way to preventing people who are homeless from being overlooked in this wider crisis in public health.
“Under the NHS 10 Year Plan and through wider collaboration across government and charities, we need to continue to ensure that every person facing homelessness has access to a healthcare system that enhances – rather than reduces – their life.”
JCVI advice shows people experiencing homelessness face very high levels of poor health and can be at similar, or even greater, risk from flu and pneumonia disease than some groups already routinely eligible for vaccination.
Many other groups of people already receive free flu vaccination, including people over the age of 65, pregnant women, people with long-term health conditions, people who are immunosuppressed, carers and household contacts of people with immunosuppression.
This change builds on that wider protection by making sure people experiencing homelessness are not overlooked and can get the same chance to stay well through winter.
