Agenda item

(10 mins intro by officers, 20 mins questioning)

The Panel received an update on childhood immunisation coverage in Slough and the actions being taken to improve coverage, which they had requested following initial discussions on low immunisation uptake in the borough in July 2013.  Members received evidence from Nisha Jayatilleke (Consultant, Screening and Immunisation, NHS England) and Jonathan Smith (NHS England, Thames Valley Area Team).

The Panel noted actions already taken to improve performance in terms of MMR uptake with:

• the MMR catch-up project, a joint campaign involving the Department of Health, Public Health England and NHS England.  The project aimed to drive up demand for MMR vaccination nationally following a number of outbreaks of measles in England over the previous two years; and
• an audit of a small number of GP practices to investigate the potential reasons for under-recording.

The Panel discussed the key issues identified as barriers to improving performance were:

• data quality, and in particular the use of standardised software packages, a programme of work which was expected to be completed within six months;
• increasing uptake through standardised processes for call/recall, and other approaches which would target those cohorts identified with high levels of non-immunised children, as well as the need to use local knowledge of communities; and
• sharing learning across GP practices to ensure that each contact counts in improving performance.

Resolved – to receive an update on progress made to improve immunisation uptake in January 2015.