Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has to allow children who are (a) out of school and (b) in alternative provision to receive seasonal vaccinations that are otherwise provided on school premises.

The Government is committed to protecting those most at risk from vaccine preventable diseases through vaccination, as guided by the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation. This includes the offer of a seasonal flu vaccine to children aged two or three years old, primary school aged children, from Reception to Year 6, secondary school aged children, from Year 7 to Year 11, and children in clinical risk groups aged from six months old to less than 18 years old.

NHS England is responsible for the commissioning of school age immunisation programmes that are delivered as part of the routine vaccination schedule. NHS England has confirmed that dedicated Immunisation Team providers are commissioned to deliver a 100% offer to all eligible school aged children, from Reception to Year 11, to get their flu vaccine at school. This is a mainly school-based model, with additional opportunities offered in community clinics for those who miss the school opportunity or who are not in mainstream education, for instance if they are home schooled. General practices are also commissioned by NHS England to deliver catchups for school aged children and young people on an opportunistic basis to maximise uptake. This information can be found at the National Health Service website, and is available at the following link:

https://www.nhs.uk/vaccinations/child-flu-vaccine/