From September 2026, Selly Pharmacy will be offering NHS flu vaccinations and NHS Covid-19 autumn boosters right here on Bristol Road. If you have spent previous autumns trying to get a vaccination appointment at your GP surgery, this is the year to try the pharmacy instead.
Why get vaccinated at a pharmacy?
Because it is quick, and it fits around your life. We are open six days a week, including Saturdays, and vaccinations take a few minutes with a pharmacist you can talk to. There is no GP appointment system to navigate — you can book a time that suits you, or in many cases simply walk in.
Pharmacies have quietly become one of the main places England gets its flu jabs. The vaccine is exactly the same one your GP surgery uses, given by a trained and accredited vaccinator, and your GP record is updated automatically.
What we will be offering from September 2026
- NHS flu vaccinations — free if you are in an eligible group.
- NHS Covid-19 autumn boosters — free if you are in an eligible group.
- Private flu vaccinations — for anyone aged 18 or over who does not qualify for a free NHS jab but wants the protection. No eligibility criteria, just book or walk in.
Who gets a free NHS flu jab?
The NHS confirms the exact eligibility list each season, but in recent years the free flu vaccination has covered:
- Everyone aged 65 and over
- Adults with certain long-term health conditions — including asthma and COPD, diabetes, heart disease, kidney or liver disease, neurological conditions, and weakened immune systems
- Pregnant women
- Carers, and people who live with someone who has a weakened immune system
- Care home residents and frontline health and social care workers
If you are not sure whether you qualify, ask us — it takes a minute to check, and if you do not qualify the private option is there as a fallback.
Who gets a free NHS Covid booster?
Covid eligibility is set nationally each season and has tended to be narrower than flu — typically older adults, care home residents, and people with weakened immune systems. We will confirm the exact 2026 autumn criteria as soon as the NHS publishes them. If you are eligible, you can have it at the pharmacy without going anywhere near a GP waiting room.
Two jabs, one visit
If you are eligible for both, you can usually have your flu jab and Covid booster in the same appointment — one in each arm, five extra minutes, and your whole autumn sorted. This is worth doing: both viruses circulate at the same time of year, and getting protected before they peak is the whole point.
When should you have it?
The sweet spot is September to early November, before flu starts circulating widely. Protection takes up to two weeks to build. That said, a late jab is far better than no jab — we vaccinate right through the winter.
How to book
Three ways, pick whichever suits you:
- Join the notification list now. Call 0121 472 0155, WhatsApp 07425 614023, or email hello@sellypharmacy.co.uk and ask to be added. We will contact you the moment bookings open.
- Book a time once the season opens, by phone or WhatsApp.
- Walk in during opening hours and we will fit you in.
Common questions
Does the flu jab give you flu?
No. The injected vaccine contains no live virus. Some people get a sore arm or feel slightly off-colour for a day — that is the immune system doing its job, not flu.
I had a jab last year. Do I need another?
Yes. Flu strains change every year and the vaccine is updated to match, and protection from previous doses fades. An annual jab is the design, not a flaw.
Can I have it if I am on antibiotics or feeling under the weather?
Usually yes if it is something minor, but tell the pharmacist how you are feeling and we will advise. If you have a fever we will ask you to come back once it settles.
Visiting us in Selly Oak
Selly Pharmacy is on Bristol Road, directly opposite Tesco Express and the Esso petrol station, two minutes from Selly Oak station. Students, families, and everyone in between — vaccination season is much easier when the jab is on your way home.
Want to be first in the queue? Call 0121 472 0155 or WhatsApp 07425 614023 and ask to join the vaccination notification list.
More detail on our flu jabs page and Covid vaccinations page.