Vaccination uptake and information for parents

With the growing risk of misinformation on the internet, it is important for practice nurses to be equipped with the most up-to-date knowledge on immunisation. Helen Sisson explains why it is vital for nurses to be aware of vaccination rates in their area to boost uptakeThe childhood vaccination programme is a fundamental public health intervention that relies on sufficient coverage for its success, yet coverage data demonstrate a decline in uptake across England. An awareness of uptake rates is essential to identify areas of low coverage, and to develop approaches to address them. Vaccine coverage in the childhood programme depends on parental decision-making, and given the vast amount of information available to parents, knowledge of and access to accurate and credible sources is essential.Vaccination remains one of the most cost-effective health interventions in the prevention of disease and is estimated to save 2–3 million lives each year (World Health Organization (WHO), 2019). In the UK, the introduction of a variety of vaccines over the past 70 years has resulted in a dramatic decline in infections that were once commonplace. For example, before the introduction of a vaccine in the 1950s, cases of diphtheria in England were in the tens of thousands (Public Health England (PHE), 2013), compared with only 11 reported cases in 2018 (PHE, 2019). Based on the burden of disease, the emphasis of vaccination programmes is largely on children under 5 years old (WHO, 2018a). In the UK, immunisation is a fundamental and significant part of the role of nurses working in general practice. However, such programmes can only be successful if enough individuals are vaccinated.Vaccination is not mandated in the UK and parents have the right to decide whether or not to have their children vaccinated. This stresses the importance of monitoring uptake and providing accurate and up-to-date information and advice for parents to ensure sufficient coverage. This article explores vaccination uptake in children and the importance that evidence-based information has in influencing decision-making