The Lead Nurse Consultant introduced the report, highlighting that Merton has an immunisation uptake below the SW London average, but we do have a highly mobile population.  Uptake in the north of the borough is particularly below the average.  However, uptake on MMR vaccination is above SW London average.  A dip in Q2 is normal and expected to pick up in Q3 and 4.  Work is underway to ensure that practises have sufficent stocks of both kinds of MMR vaccine, and posters to advertise the need to immunise.

In response to questions it was confirmed that:

-       Work is underway to ensure advertising around vaccinations and immunisation is accessible to as many people as possible and recommendations from members are welcome. 

-       Commission and delivery of childhood vaccinations sits with NHS, mainly in primary care, Public Health provide oversight and support, home visiting and school nursing. 

-       Communications are targeted both geographically as well scio-economically and ethnically and focusing on areas with low uptake of immunisations. 

-       There is a trend for not immunising children, the alleged link between MMR and autism has been disproven, but it’s easier to come across and latch onto negative views.  It is challenging to work against misinformation, which has an impact.  Staff are trained to answer difficult questions. 

-       Data from CHIS is a snapshot and the figures allow for a variance, the immunisation targets are set by WHO, by hitting these targets the illnesses become unable to circulate. 

-       If we have not been informed of a change of address, former residents can remain registered with a Merton GP for up to a year and this can skew the data for the area.  We can though show that trends are upwards.

-       Immunisation data stays with the child, so when they move areas/GPs the data goes with them through the CHIS system. 

-       In the London wide Measles and Polio campaign, phase 2 identified 200000 children missed and follow-up work is targeting this group but only 2000 attended and around 80% are completely unvaccinated, this is  a trend in the region and across England. 

-       Lots of training around vaccine confidence and engaging residents through youtube,faith leaders, working in different languages, local tv and schools. 

-       We do share best practice across the country.

-       If residents come from abroad without records we can access country records and estimate what would have been received, can also reimmunise, which is safe. 

-       If someone does not want to share records, they don’t have to, it doesn’t have to go on the system and can be coded in a way that limits access to information. 

-       The percentages of immunisation can be a blunt measure, and when you examine the data specifically can allow healthcare providers to target their work specifically to capture more people and work is ongoing to identify the missing 15% and using the data shows where the focus needs to be.

-       Students are targeted during Freshers weeks and encouraged to register with local GP to fill the gaps in their vaccination records. 

-       Some students don’t register with a local GP, but if they get in touch they will be encouraged to do so and given the advice they need. 

-       Whatever issue they visit for, Drs are alerted to their vaccination status and encourage them to get MMR, ACWY and HPV vaccines. 

-       Not dismissive of the percentages/data, policies are evergereen and work will continue until the percentages improve.