Tags: immunisation

Updated iHV GPP: Improving Vaccination Uptake

The Institute of Health Visiting (iHV) is delighted to announce the publication of its updated Good Practice Points (GPP): Improving Vaccination Uptake During Pregnancy and Early Childhood. This new resource supports health visitors and the wider health visiting workforce to strengthen their role in improving vaccination confidence and uptake during pregnancy and the early years – a crucial public health priority. 

Recent national updates, including the UK’s loss of its measles elimination status, highlight the impact of declining vaccination rates and the urgency of supporting families with clear, evidence-based information. Through their universal reach, health visitors can engage early with parents, build trust, and help overcome both hesitancy and barriers to accessing vaccination-based information. 

The updated GPP was created with the support of Dr Helen Bedford, Professor of Children’s Health, Population, Policy and Practice Programme, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, iHV Trustee, and iHV Expert Adviser: Immunisations.  

iHV GPPs provide busy practitioners with easily accessible and up-to-date information on key public health priority topics. This updated GPP contains the latest data and evidence on improving vaccination uptake, with an overview of: 

  • UK childhood vaccination coverage and the impact of declining rates 
  • Inequalities, declining uptake, and approaches to tackling these disparities 
  • A whole system approach to improving vaccination rates 
  • Vaccine access, vaccine hesitancy, and strategies to support families 
  • Key messages and top tips for health visitors and health visiting skill mix teams. 

The iHV would like to thank the iHV Health Visiting Advisory Forum (HVAF) members for their valuable contribution to the review process, helping ensure this refreshed guidance reflects current evidence and the realities of frontline practice across diverse communities. 

Read GPP - Improving Vaccination Uptake During Pregnancy and Early Childhood

Note: iHV GPPs are free-to-access for all iHV members. 

The iHV is a self-funding charity – we can only be successful in our mission to strengthen health visiting practice if the health visiting profession and its supporters join us on our journey. We rely on our membership to develop new resources for our members. 

If you’re not a member, please join us to get access to all of our resources.  

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UK loses measles elimination status

The World Health Organization has announced that the UK has lost its measles elimination status.

Doctors, public health experts and local councils said the WHO’s decision reflected the country’s reducing uptake of the MMR vaccination – which they linked to vaccine hesitancy and parents’ difficulty in accessing reliable information and getting appointments for their child to be immunised, in addition to poverty which goes hand in hand with low uptake. 

Professor Helen Bedford, Professor of Children’s Health, Population, Policy and Practice Research and Teaching Department at UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, and iHV Expert Adviser: Immunisations, said:

“Sadly, it comes as no surprise that the UK has lost its measles elimination status.  To achieve elimination requires very high, sustained, uptake levels of two doses of a measles containing vaccine, but because measles is so highly infectious, any decline in uptake results in outbreaks.

“In the UK, vaccination uptake overall is below the 95% target, with significant variation between areas and social groups. These inequalities are increasing. In some parts of London, almost a half of five-years-olds remain unprotected against this potentially serious infection. As a result, over the past few years in there have been thousands of cases of measles and two deaths in UK.

“Health visitors are ideally placed to discuss vaccination with their families, and to remind them when vaccines are overdue. In the UK we are fortunate to have ready access to a safe and highly effective vaccine to provide our children with protection against this potentially devastating infection.”

The change to the elimination status was based on the spread of cases in 2024 when there were 3,600 suspected cases.

The World Health Organization said it no longer classified Britain as having eliminated measles because the disease had become re-established.

The UK achieved measles elimination in 2016, but this was short-lived with endemic transmission re-established due to outbreaks linked to a measles resurgence across Europe in 2018.

In 2021, the UK regained measles elimination status based on a significant decline in measles circulation globally due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, measles activity started to increase in the UK and globally in 2023. Based on data submitted for 2024, when the UK experienced a large measles outbreak, the WHO confirmed that measles transmission was re-established. There were more than 1,000 cases last year as well.

The move is also a reflection of the fact vaccination rates are below the 95% threshold required to achieve herd immunity – when enough people in a community are vaccinated against a disease, making it hard for the pathogen to spread.

iHV attends launch of RCPCH report ‘Vaccination in the UK: access, uptake and equity’

A report from the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH), being launched today in the House of Lords and attended by Alison Morton (iHV CEO), has highlighted the significant barriers and difficulties some parents face to get their child vaccinated from serious but preventable diseases and calls on governments to act now to prevent future outbreaks.

Professor Helen Bedford and Alison Morton at the House of Lords launch

 

The World Health Organization recommends a 95% vaccination rate to keep vulnerable groups, such as babies, the elderly, and those who are immunosuppressed, safe through herd immunity. Concerningly in the UK, not a single routine childhood vaccine has hit that target since 2021. Over the past few years, measles and whooping cough (pertussis) have seen a resurgence in the UK due to declining vaccination rates and waning immunity.

Concerned by this downward trend, RCPCH set up the Commission on Immunisation Access, Uptake and Equity and, over a 12-month period, examined national data and research, and gathered first-hand experiences from parents, healthcare workers, and children to understand what’s really preventing uptake.

The Commission concluded that the core challenges lie in logistical and systemic shortcomings and that the current system is fragmented, hard to navigate, and too often fails the very families who need it most. The Commission also found that research and public health resources are sometimes misdirected by focusing too heavily on vaccine hesitancy, when in fact there are many parents who want to vaccinate but simply can’t access services that work for them.

Alison Morton, CEO of the Institute for Health Visitors, said:

“Whilst most parents get their children vaccinated without hesitation, the widening inequalities and decline in vaccine uptake rates are a national cause for concern. This timely report presents a compelling case to ensure babies and children are protected against serious diseases that were once feared by families and can cause so much unnecessary harm.

“The good news is that there is lots of evidence on how to reverse the current trend – captured in the practical recommendations of this report. By working together across national government and local systems, we can tackle the systemic barriers that make it harder for some families to get the vaccines their children need. This includes investing in health visitors who remain parents’ first port of call for trusted advice and, with sufficient funding, are ideally placed to deliver vaccinations to vulnerable groups.”

The report highlights the critical role of the system in addressing access-related barriers, which can deter families, especially those with questions about vaccination, from seeking immunisation for their children. When asked about these obstacles parents reported:

  • Difficulty booking appointments, especially ones that fit around work commitments and childcare needs
  • Transport challenges, including inconvenient clinic locations and the high cost of public transit
  • A lack of continuity in care, with many parents seeing a different GP or clinician at each visit. The absence of health visitors was especially significant, as it limited understanding of individual family circumstances that could influence vaccination decisions
  • A lack of reminders from GP offices about upcoming vaccinations, parents and carers also reported having no easy way to determine what vaccines their children have and have not had, with no set digital records available.
  • A fear of being judged for raising concerns about vaccines or having beliefs in alternative medicine.

The report also underscored the growing disparity in vaccine uptake among some ethnic minority groups, socioeconomically disadvantaged families and migrant communities. These groups reported specific challenges such as limited access to information due to language difficulties, digital exclusion, challenges in navigating the NHS, and a lack of targeted outreach.

In order to reverse declining vaccination rates, the UK must prioritise investments in infrastructure, digital health records for children, staffing levels and staff training. By addressing systemic barriers to access, including those which may more frequently affect underserved communities, the delivery and access to vaccinations can be improved for all.

The Institute of Health Visiting is working with NHS England on its plan to improve vaccination uptake through its Pathfinder project. The aim of the project is to improve access and uptake of childhood vaccinations in underserved groups. The Pathfinder project will test different models of enhanced health visiting provision across a mix of sites across England. The project’s recent call for expressions of interest attracted a huge amount of interest, with numerous submissions setting out a range of enhanced health visiting model options. These included vaccinations delivered during a home visit by a health visitor, vaccinations delivered by another registered healthcare professional who accompanies the health visitor on a targeted home visit, and community outreach approaches led by health visiting teams to administer vaccines in alternative settings, such as health visitor child health clinics or Family Hubs.

Alison concluded:

“We are confident that, when adequately resourced, health visitors can play a significant part in improving vaccination uptake, by building relationships with families, providing a trusted source of advice to answer their questions and supporting families to register with GPs and book appointments. With the right training and vaccination infrastructure, they are also ideally placed to provide options for vaccinations at home or in community settings if families face specific challenges in accessing vaccinations. However, we cannot ignore the challenges that health visiting services currently face in England, with huge disparities in services across the UK, and a national health visitor workforce shortage.

“The message to the government is clear – health visitors want to be part of the solution and ensure that all children get the healthcare they deserve. But it is essential that the government also plays its part and fulfils its pledge to strengthen health visiting, rebuild the health visitor workforce and end the postcode lottery in healthcare that families are currently experiencing.“

Read the full findings and recommendations for change in the RCPCH report ‘Vaccination in the UK: access, uptake and equity.’

Also read Alison Morton's blog in Nursing in Practice: Health visitors to play integral role in improving childhood vaccinations uptake

New NHS vaccination programmes against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)

From 1 September 2024, there will be two new vaccination programmes against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) – during pregnancy (for infant protection) and older adults in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, with the rollout in Scotland already commenced in August. The new vaccinations have been introduced following guidance from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).

It is important that everyone working in health visiting is aware of the programme and the underpinning evidence, to support their work in promoting RSV vaccine uptake.

Why vaccinate against RSV?

RSV has been described as “maybe the most common virus you have never heard of” by GP and journalist Dr Mark Porter.

RSV causes respiratory illnesses which are most frequently seen over the winter months between November and February1. In the majority of people, it presents as a cough/cold which gets better by itself within 1 or 2 weeks2. However, in vulnerable populations, such as babies under 6-months-old, those born preterm, adults over 75 years and anyone with a weakened immune system, long-term lung or heart conditions, RSV can be much more serious requiring hospitalisation and, in some cases, causing death.

Many babies with RSV infection are undiagnosed, but they will struggle to breathe and feed due to bronchiolitis or pneumonia over the winter months. On average in England, 20,000 infants are admitted to hospitals each winter due to RSV. The vast majority have no underlying medical conditions. Many need intensive care, and sadly 20 to 30 will die due to RSV infection. RSV has wider impacts too, cancelling major paediatric surgery because critical care beds are needed to keep children with RSV breathing.

The maternal vaccine is a major step forward for child health. It offers infants 70% protection against severe RSV lower respiratory tract infection over the most vulnerable first 6 months of life. Commenting on the new vaccination programme, The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health has called it “game changing”.

The new RSV schedule – what you need to know:

  • Pregnancy
    • All women who are at least 28 weeks pregnant on 1 September 2024 should be offered a single dose of the RSV vaccine. After that, pregnant women will become eligible as they reach 28 weeks gestation and remain eligible up to birth. The ideal opportunity to offer vaccination would be at the 28-week antenatal contact, following prior discussion about the vaccine earlier in pregnancy. Providers should aim to vaccinate those already eligible on 1 September as soon as possible.
  • Older adults
    • All adults will be offered the vaccination at 75-years-old.
    • There will be a catch-up programme which will start for those aged 75–79-years-old on 1 September 2024.
    • They will remain eligible until the day before their 80th birthday, with the aim to complete the catch-up programme by the end of August 2025.

It is expected that the majority of the two population groups will have their vaccinations in September and October in preparation for the start of the RSV season.

Role of the health visitor

It is important that health visitors and their teams are aware of these new vaccination programmes. They are ideally placed to have conversations about the benefits of the maternal vaccination during the antenatal and interpregnancy periods, to ensure families who are pregnant or are planning a pregnancy are aware of the new RSV vaccination and how it protects babies. Through their extensive reach to millions of families across the UK each year, they can also play an important role in raising awareness of the new older adult vaccination programme for extended family members, or with grandparents helping with childcare. They are in the ideal place to explain to families what the new programme is, answer any questions that they may have, and direct them to the GP surgery for more information. This will help to protect the whole family, offering lifesaving protection against RSV for young babies and other vulnerable groups.

Further information, guidance and resources to support healthcare practitioners and raise awareness of the new RSV vaccination

As there are two new RSV vaccination programmes (one for pregnant women for infant protection and a separate one for older adults), there are different supporting resources available for each. It is important that anyone involved in RSV immunisation, or promoting vaccine uptake, is aware of which resources to use. More details are also available in the green book, chapter 27a: respiratory syncytial virus.

UKHSA and Public Health agencies for the devolved nations have produced several resources to support practitioners in raising awareness of the new programmes. Some of the resources are available in other languages. Follow the links below to access the resources.

References

  1. UKHAS (2024) What is RSV and is there a vaccine?. Available at: https://ukhsa.blog.gov.uk/2024/07/17/what-is-rsv-and-is-there-a-vaccine/
  2. NHS (2024) Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Available at:
    https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/respiratory-syncytial-virus-rsv/

New RSV vaccination of pregnant women from September 2024

From 1 September 2024, pregnant women can have a free vaccine in each pregnancy to protect their babies against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Make sure you are up to date about this important new vaccination to raise awareness and promote uptake.

Why the RSV vaccine is needed

RSV is a common virus which can cause a lung infection called bronchiolitis. In small babies this condition can make it hard to breathe and to feed. Most cases can be managed at home but around 20,000 infants are admitted to hospital with bronchiolitis each year in England. Infants with severe bronchiolitis may need intensive care and the infection can be fatal in some cases. RSV is more likely to be serious in very young babies, those born prematurely, and those with conditions that affect their heart, breathing or immune system.

RSV accounts for approximately 33,500 hospitalisations annually in children aged under 5-years-old. It is a leading cause of infant mortality across the world and results in 20 to 30 deaths per year in the UK. RSV infects up to 90% of children within the first 2 years of life and frequently re-infects older children and adults.

How the RSV vaccine protects babies

The vaccine boosts the mother’s immune system to produce more antibodies against the virus. These antibodies then pass through the placenta to help protect babies from the day they are born. RSV vaccination reduces the risk of severe bronchiolitis by 70% in the first 6 months of life. After this age, babies are at much lower risk of severe RSV.

Older children and adults can also get RSV infection, but the disease is more serious for small babies and people aged 75 and over.

Find out more: A guide to RSV vaccination for pregnant women

Read UKHSA Guidance:  RSV vaccination of pregnant women for infant protection: information for healthcare practitioners

Read UKHSA blog: What is RSV and is there a vaccine?

UKHSA encourages timely vaccination as whooping cough cases rise

Yesterday, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) published a news story urging timely whooping cough vaccination in pregnancy and in childhood to protect vulnerable young infants from serious disease:

  • Pregnant women are offered a whooping cough vaccine in every pregnancy, ideally between 20 and 32 weeks – protecting their baby from birth in the first months of their life when they are most vulnerable and before they can receive their own vaccines.
  • All babies are given three doses of the 6-in-1 vaccine at 8, 12 and 16 weeks of age to protect against whooping cough and other serious diseases.

New data published yesterday by UKHSA shows cases of whooping cough continue to increase with 2,591 cases confirmed in May. This follows 555 cases in January 2024, 920 in February, 1,427 in March and 2,106 in April – bringing the total number of cases from January to May 2024 to 7,599.

Sadly, there have been 9 infant deaths since the current outbreak began in November last year (one in December 2023 and 8 between January to end May 2024). Young babies are at highest risk of severe complications and death from whooping cough. Evidence from England shows that vaccination at the right time in pregnancy is highly effective, giving 92% protection against infant death.

From January to May 2024, while most cases (53.4%, 4,057) were in those aged 15 years or older who usually get a mild illness, high numbers (262) continue to be reported in babies under 3 months of age who are at greatest risk from the infection.

Whooping cough cases have been rising across England, as well as in many other countries, since December 2023 due to a combination of factors. Whooping cough is a cyclical disease that peaks every 3 to 5 years. The last cyclical increase occurred in 2016. However, in common with other diseases, cases fell to very low numbers during the pandemic due to restrictions and public behaviours. A peak year is overdue and the impact of the pandemic also means there is reduced immunity in the population.

The latest uptake data for the vaccination offered to pregnant women to protect newborn infants against whooping cough continues to decline – with coverage in March 2024 at 58.9% compared to the peak coverage (72.6%) in March 2017.

Timely vaccination in pregnancy and in childhood are both important to protect vulnerable young infants from serious disease. All babies are given three doses of the 6-in-1 jab at 8, 12 and 16 weeks of age to protect against whooping cough and other serious diseases such as diphtheria and polio, with a pre-school booster offered at 3 years 4 months.

Whooping cough, clinically known as pertussis, is a bacterial infection which affects the lungs. The first signs of infection are similar to a cold, such as a runny nose and sore throat, but after about a week, the infection can develop into coughing bouts that last for a few minutes and are typically worse at night. Young babies may also make a distinctive ‘whoop’ or have difficulty breathing after a bout of coughing, though not all babies make this noise which means whooping cough can be hard to recognise.

If anyone in your family is diagnosed with whooping cough, it’s important they stay at home and do not go into work, school or nursery until 48 hours after starting antibiotics, or 2 weeks after symptoms start if they have not had antibiotics. This helps to prevent the spread of infection, especially to vulnerable groups, including infants. However, vaccination remains the best protection for babies and children.

UKHSA Blog

Alongside the updated data, UKHSA also published a powerful new blog post, “Whooping cough: my daughter spent the third week of life in an induced coma”. In this blog post, Jenny, from Hampshire, shares the story of her daughter Layla and her struggle with whooping cough at 3-weeks-old.

Read the UKHSA blog post

Health visitors’ role to promote uptake of the pertussis vaccine

UKHSA is calling for frontline clinicians to promote uptake of the pertussis vaccine. Pregnant women can have a pertussis-containing vaccination between 20 and 32 weeks’ gestation – they should also be vaccinated with every pregnancy.

Health visitors have a vital role to play in discussing vaccinations with parents and caregivers and promoting vaccine uptake. As a universal service, they visit every family, building trust through regular visits, often in the family’s home. Resources are available for health visitors and their team members to support communication around vaccines with pregnant women.

Whooping cough infections rise

New data published by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) shows there has been a continued increase in pertussis (whooping cough) cases at the start of this year, with 553 confirmed in England in January, compared with 858 cases for the whole of last year (2023).

The increase in whooping cough across England is occurring after a prolonged period of low case numbers due to restrictions and reduced social mixing patterns during the COVID-19 pandemic. Cases of whooping cough rise cyclically every few years, with the last peak year in 2016 recording 5,949 cases. The current increase is coming at a time when there has been a steady decline in uptake of the vaccine in pregnant women and in children.

Vaccination programme for children and pregnant women

In response to increasing case numbers, the UKHSA is reminding mums-to-be to get protected against whooping cough so that their young baby has protection from birth against this serious disease and to ask their midwife if they are unsure. UKHSA is also urging parents to check that their children are vaccinated against whooping cough, which is offered to all infants at 8, 12 and 16 weeks of age (as part of the 6-in-1 combination vaccine) with an additional dose included in the pre-school booster vaccine.

This reminder is part of the UKHSA’s new Childhood Immunisation Campaign urging parents to check the vaccination status of their children against measles and other serious diseases. This campaign went live across a range of media channels at the start of this week. Parents are being asked to respond to invites from the NHS or to book an appointment with their GP practice if their child has not received all their routine vaccines.

Data for January show that there were 22 infants aged under 3 months diagnosed with whooping cough. These infants, who are too young to be fully vaccinated, are at greater risk of severe disease, including death. UKHSA is strongly encouraging expectant mothers to take up the maternal vaccine. Vaccination of pregnant women is 97% effective at preventing death in young infants from whooping cough.

Useful links

NHS Vaccinations and when to have them

NHS Whooping cough information

UKHSA launches campaign as measles cases continue to rise

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has launched a new multi-media marketing campaign across England to remind parents and carers of the risk of their children missing out on protection against serious diseases that are re-emerging in the country – with an urgent call to action to catch up on missed vaccinations.

The campaign went live today (4 March) with a powerful video advert told from the perspective of children and in their voices. “Our generation’s risk of illnesses like measles and whooping cough is rising” they tell their parents and carers looking straight into camera – “If we’re not vaccinated, we’re not protected.”

The campaign theme and materials, based on insight and feedback from parents in the North West, were developed by UKHSA in partnership with DHSC Marketing, Liverpool City Council, NHS England, NHS North West and NHS Greater Manchester.

The campaign comes as the latest weekly update today on measles cases in England shows there have been another 69 cases in the past week, bringing the total number of laboratory confirmed measles cases reported since 1 October 2023 to 650.

Professor Helen Bedford, Professor of Children’s Health at UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health (GOS ICH) and iHV Expert Adviser: Immunisations, said:

Every year, vaccination saves millions of children’s lives, so it is a huge concern that uptake of vaccines has been in decline in England for the past ten years. This has left many children and young people unprotected against potentially serious diseases and we are already seeing numbers of cases of measles and whooping cough increasing. However, we can prevent this taking further hold. Vaccines are free, highly effective and have a good safety record – and it is never too late to catch up if they have been missed. We owe it to our children to ensure they are protected.

Uptake levels of childhood vaccines offered through the routine NHS vaccination programme in England have been falling over the past decade across all vaccines, including whooping cough, measles, mumps and rubella, polio, meningitis and diphtheria – with England no longer having the levels of population immunity recommended by the World Health Organization that is needed to prevent outbreaks. Crucially, lower vaccine uptake within communities is directly linked to wider health inequalities.

To counter this decline, UKHSA is co-ordinating its national marketing campaign with an NHS operational MMR catch up campaign. Areas with low uptake will be a focus for support and parents of children aged from six to 11 years will be contacted directly and urged to make an appointment with their child’s GP practice for any missed MMR vaccines.

In addition to the TV advert, the campaign will be seen across a range of channels and formats including radio advertising, digital display, online and on social media. Additional advertising will be seen in the West Midlands, North West and London where there are larger pockets of low uptake. The campaign will be supported by a number of key stakeholders, including local authorities and NHS organisations.

Also listen our our recent podcast with Professor Helen Bedford - Stemming the measles surge

Starting school: Is your child fully vaccinated?

As the new school year starts, with children about to start school for the first time, many parents will have a list of things needed for the big day: haircut, new shoes, school bag, etc. This is an exciting time for families. One important thing for the list is whether their child needs any vaccines. As children starting school will be mixing in larger numbers, the risk of catching infections increases.

Fortunately, although unpleasant, most of these such as cough and colds will be mild even if they are frequent! However, where numbers of unvaccinated children gather, there is also a risk of outbreaks of more serious infections.

Measles is top of the list of potentially serious infections where outbreaks are likely. This is because it is so highly infectious – considered the most infectious – and, to prevent outbreaks, very high uptake (95%) of two doses of measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine are needed. Unfortunately, this target vaccine uptake has never been met in the UK and current MMR vaccine uptake is the lowest for a decade: 2 in every 10 children in England have not had two doses of vaccine. In London, this figure is as high as ¼ of 5-year-olds entering school, while in some parts of the capital as many as a half of children are not fully vaccinated (NHS Digital 2023).

The situation is such in London that UKHSA has advised that, based on current vaccine uptake, there is the potential for an outbreak of between 40,000 and 160,000 cases (UKHSA 2023). These numbers make it inevitable that there would be many hospital admissions for measles, with complications such as pneumonia and encephalitis as well as deaths. Although large outbreaks are less likely in the country as a whole, there is this possibility where there are pockets of susceptible children, young people and adults.

So, what can be done? Fortunately, we have the means to prevent measles outbreaks through MMR vaccination. It is easy to check children’s vaccination status, by either looking at their red book or, if not available, checking with the GP surgery. Where vaccines are missing, they can be caught up at the GP surgery. Even though vaccines may have been missed at younger ages, for most there is no upper age limit, they can be caught up at any age. This does not require starting the course all over again – they just need the missing vaccines. Older children and young adults are also recommended to have had two doses of MMR vaccine, particularly those who are starting university in the next few months. This is particularly important as many young people missed out on their vaccines when they were young, and we have seen many cases of measles in recent outbreaks in this age group when disease is often more severe.

Don’t forget to also remind parents about the pre-school-booster vaccine. Usually offered at 3 years 4 months along with the second dose of MMR vaccine. This boosts immunity to diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough and polio through the early school years and is an important part of the vaccine schedule.

Professor Helen Bedford – Professor of Children’s Health, Population, Policy and Practice Research and Teaching Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health

References

Also see:

Parent Tips

  • PT – Childhood Immunisations Part 1: An introduction to childhood immunisations
    This Parent Tip provides some useful information on the childhood vaccination programme, explaining how vaccines work, how they are regulated and why it is important to ensure that your baby receives all the recommended immunisations.
  • PT – Childhood Immunisations Part 2: Frequently asked questions
    It is natural to have questions about your baby’s immunisations. This second part of our Parent Tip series on immunisations provides answers to “Frequently Asked Questions” and has been written by leading national experts. It covers FAQs on getting your baby immunised and what to expect, including information on things such as soothing your baby during and after vaccinations, and what to do if they are poorly on the day of their appointment.

Good Practice Points

  • GPP – Promoting the Uptake of Childhood Immunisations
    The immunisation programme in the United Kingdom (UK) is a key component of the Healthy Child Programme. It is important for health visitors to be aware of current research and practice to promote immunisation uptake and know where to go for information.

Updated resources on childhood immunisations during COVID-19

As part of  World Immunization Week 2020, our resources on childhood immunisations have been updated with the latest information and advice during the current COVID-19 pandemic – two Parent Tips and one Good Practice Points for Health Visitors.

The two updated Parent Tips:

  • one providing some basic information on the childhood immunisation programme, explaining how vaccines work, how they are regulated and why it is important to ensure your baby receives all the recommended immunisations
  • the second,  provides answers to “Frequently Asked Questions” and has been written by leading national experts. It covers getting your baby immunised and what to expect, including information on things such as soothing your baby
    during and after vaccinations, and what to do if they are poorly on the day of their appointment.

Just to reassure you that despite the current COVID-19 pandemic, it is still recommended that your child receives their vaccines as this protects them against other serious diseases that can still cause them harm.

Parent Tips - Childhood Immunisations 1: An introduction to childhood immunisations

Parent Tips - Childhood Immunisations 2: Frequently Asked Questions

These updated Parent Tips, together with those published last week and yesterday, can be found in our **Parenting Through Coronavirus (COVID-19)** webpage

 

The Good Practice Points for Health Visitors:

The immunisation programme is a key component of the Healthy Child Programme. It is important for health visitors to be aware of current research and practice to promote immunisation uptake and know where to go for information.  Uptake of childhood vaccines in the UK is is generally high, although uptake of the MMR is a concern and the UK lost its ‘measles-free’ status last year. There are also concerns about the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on immunisation uptake.

Go to GPP - Promoting the Uptake of Childhood Immunisations

COVID-19 webpages
  • For Health Visitors– This updated GPP is available in our GPP resource section of our website and can also be found on our COVID-19 (coronavirus) guidance for health visitors webpage – https://iHV.org.uk/COVID-19
  • For parents and families– These updated Parent Tips are available in the Families Parent Tips section of our website as well as our Parenting through Coronavirus (COVID-19) webpage – https://iHV.org.uk/ParentingCOVID19

We have waivered our usual restrictions on resources for members and the COVID-19 sections of our website are “free access” to all to support the national response to this pandemic.