Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department (a) is taking and (b) plans to take to help (i) facilitate and (ii) increase the voluntary uptake of the shingles vaccine by people aged 66 to 69 in (A) Southport and (B) the UK.

The current policy offers the shingles vaccine Shingrix to anyone who turned 65 or 70 years old on or after 1 September 2023, and to anyone aged 50 years old and over, which includes those aged 66 to 69 years old, who is at higher risk of serious complications as a result of having a severely weakened immune system, and who has been prioritised for vaccination by the National Health Service.

Healthy 66 to 69 year olds who do not have a severely weakened immune system are not currently eligible to receive the shingles vaccine, although they will become eligible when they turn 70 years old, as they would have done prior to 1 September 2023.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) provides public facing information, including translations into over 20 different languages, including braille, audio, large print, and British Sign Language, to help increase the uptake of the shingles vaccine and information for healthcare professionals.

Decisions regarding eligibility and the design of the current programme roll-out are based on clinical advice, including the independent advice of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, and follow a similar pattern to the 2013 roll-out of the single dose shingles vaccine. However, the Government recognises the concerns of those currently aged 65 to 69 and is looking at ways to improve our approach. This includes options for working with NHS England and the UKHSA to enhance the way in which eligibility for this immunisation is communicated to the public, but also considers potential wider changes.