Agenda item

The Panel received a report from Tim Howells, Senior Programme Officer for Public Health at the Council, on the immunisation and screening work undertaken since the previous report in June 2019.

A Local Immunisation Partnership had been established to draw together the expertise across the system to drive up the level of immunisation in Slough.  The NHS had doubled the target for flu vaccinations this year to 30 million and the early indications were that uptake locally had increased slightly compared to previous years.  The Council had made a commitment to fund vaccinations for all staff.  Slough had asked to join a pilot to use the adult flu vaccine in children, as the child vaccine contained gelatine which had reduced the uptake in Slough’s population.

An update was provided on the preparations for Covid-19 vaccinations and plans were in place to start the programme in December initially to the most vulnerable groups.  There would be challenges to vaccine roll out and work was underway with community champions to encourage take up and dispel myths.  In response to a question about community perceptions of vaccines more generally it was noted that a major survey had been undertaken by the Council to better understand some of reasons why some people were reluctant to take up vaccines and this would inform local plans.

At the conclusion of the discussion the report was noted.

Resolved –  That the report be noted and that a further update be provided in 2021.