Private Shingles Vaccination

About this service

Shingles is caused by the reactivation of the chickenpox virus, which stays dormant in the body after childhood chickenpox, and the pain it causes can be severe and long lasting. At Berkeley Pharmacy we offer private shingles vaccination for adults aged 50 and over who are not yet eligible on the NHS, with no GP referral needed. The vaccine used in the UK is a non-live vaccine given as two doses, so it is suitable for more people, including many whose immune system is weakened.

We take the time to review your age, medical history and any previous episodes of shingles, and we will always check whether you are already eligible on the NHS rather than charge you privately. We welcome adults from Berkeley, Dursley, Cam, Stroud, Wotton-under-Edge and across Gloucestershire, and we book both doses before you leave so the course fits around your schedule.

What shingles is and how the vaccine helps

Shingles is caused by the reactivation of the chickenpox virus, which stays dormant in the body after childhood chickenpox. It causes a painful, blistering rash, usually in a band on one side of the body or face, and the pain can be severe. The most common complication is post-herpetic neuralgia, nerve pain that can persist for months or years after the rash has healed, and shingles affecting the eye can threaten sight.

The risk of shingles and of complications rises steadily with age as immunity wanes. The vaccine used in the UK is a non-live vaccine given as two doses, normally two to six months apart, with a shorter interval of one to two months used for people whose immune system is weakened. The NHS offers shingles vaccination to defined age groups and to some people with a weakened immune system from age 50, so private vaccination is mainly for adults aged 50 and over who are not yet eligible. You can have the vaccine even if you have had shingles before, once the episode has fully settled.

Who this service is for

How it works

A simple, consistent process for every service at Berkeley Pharmacy.

What to expect at your appointment

Your appointment begins with a consultation covering your age, medical history, medicines and any previous episodes of shingles, with a check of whether you are already eligible on the NHS, and we will tell you if you are, and a clear explanation of the two dose schedule and the interval that suits you.

• The injection into your upper arm
• The second appointment booked before you leave
• A written record and, with your consent, a note to your GP
• A short wait afterwards

Aftercare and safety

A sore, red and swollen arm is very common with this vaccine, and many people also get tiredness, muscle aches, headache, shivering or a mild fever for a day or two, which is a normal immune response and settles quickly. It may be worth having the vaccine on a day when you do not have anything demanding planned, and paracetamol can be used if needed.

• Complete the second dose, as protection is much better after both
• Seek medical advice quickly if you ever develop a shingles rash near your eye
• Call us on 01453 810316 if you have any questions between doses

Frequently asked questions

How we can supply treatment without a GP appointment

Some treatments at Berkeley Pharmacy are supplied under a Patient Group Direction, or PGD – a written instruction, signed by a doctor and a pharmacist, that legally allows our trained pharmacists to supply and administer specified medicines to people who meet defined clinical criteria, without a prescription from your GP. If you do not meet the criteria set out in the PGD we cannot supply the treatment, and we will explain why and advise you on the best next step. Our pharmacists also work as independent prescribers where that is appropriate.

Serving Berkeley and the surrounding Gloucestershire villages

Berkeley Pharmacy is on Market Place in the centre of Berkeley, with easy access from junctions 13 and 14 of the M5. We welcome patients from Berkeley, Sharpness, Newport, Berkeley Heath, Alkington, Ham, Stone and Rockhampton, and we are a short drive from Cam, Dursley, Slimbridge, Cambridge, Falfield, Charfield, Tortworth, Cromhall, Oldbury-on-Severn, Wotton-under-Edge, Thornbury, Frampton on Severn and Stonehouse. Patients also travel to us from Stroud, Nailsworth, Yate, Chipping Sodbury, Tetbury and Gloucester.

• Berkeley
• Sharpness
• Newport
• Berkeley Heath
• Alkington
• Ham
• Stone
• Rockhampton
• Cam
• Dursley
• Slimbridge
• Cambridge
• Falfield
• Charfield
• Tortworth
• Cromhall
• Oldbury-on-Severn
• Wotton-under-Edge
• Thornbury
• Frampton on Severn
• Stonehouse
• Stroud
• Nailsworth
• Yate
• Chipping Sodbury
• Tetbury
• Gloucester

Safe, regulated care from your local pharmacy team

• Berkeley Pharmacy is registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council. You can check any pharmacy or pharmacist on the GPhC register at pharmacyregulation.org.
• Every consultation is face to face and private, in our dedicated consultation room – not an online questionnaire.
• Serving the Berkeley community for over 25 years.
• This service does not replace care from your GP. With your consent we will inform your GP of any treatment provided. If you are unwell, have new or worsening symptoms, or need urgent care, contact your GP or NHS 111, and in an emergency call 999.
• If you experience a side effect from any medicine you can report it through the MHRA Yellow Card scheme at yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk.

Page last reviewed: September 2026. Next review due: September 2027.

Related services

Other services you may be interested in at Berkeley Pharmacy.

Speak to our pharmacy team about shingles vaccination

Visit us in Berkeley or get in touch to arrange a private consultation with our pharmacist.

Book a consultation Call 01453 810316

Address

14 Market Place, Berkeley, GL13 9BB

Opening hours

Mon–Fri 9am–6pm (closed 1–2pm)

Sat 9am–1pm

Sun Closed