An online vaccine hub to help improve the delivery of vaccination programmes and campaigns across the country, has been launched by the NHS Confederation today.
The vaccine hub provides access to a checklist of barriers and enablers, as well as practical guidance, including examples and insights from a range of vaccination programmes.
The initiative, which is supported by the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI), is on the back of a decline in vaccination uptake across nearly every major programme.
Since the 2021/2022 flu season, uptake among those aged 65 and over, as well as clinically at-risk under-65s, has fallen year on year. HPV vaccination rates remain below pre-pandemic levels. Childhood immunisation coverage has been in steady decline for a decade, and none of the routine childhood vaccinations have met the World Health Organization’s 95% coverage target since 2021.
By April 2027, responsibility for the commissioning of vaccination services and suitable elements of screening pathways will be transferred to integrated care boards (ICBs) as a core component of the NHS Vaccination Strategy.
The aim is to reduce morbidity and mortality from vaccine-preventable diseases by increasing vaccination uptake and coverage, particularly in underserved populations.
But the NHS Confederation said that, at present, there is significant variation across the country, which risks inadequate coverage, which is why it has taken a proactive approach to analysing the root causes of low uptake.Through engagement with members across primary care and ICBs, it has identified several systemic issues.
These include fragmented contracting and procurement processes, limited service integration and outreach and inadequate population-level data that restricts workforce planning and targeted delivery.
The NHS Confederation stated that its work with health leaders has highlighted the importance of vaccination offers that enable local flexibility to design services that are culturally sensitive and meet the needs of local populations, while also facilitating strong local leadership.
For further information or if you have resources you would like to see included on the vaccine hub, contact the NHS Confederation Primary Care Network at: [email protected]
A version of this story was first published by our sister title Pulse PCN
