MMR Vaccine: Children

(asked on 13th October 2016) - View Source

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what activities have been undertaken by (a) Ministers and (b) officials of his Department to promote the benefits of children having the MMR vaccine since 2011.


This question was answered on 21st October 2016

The Department was responsible for the policy and delivery of all vaccination programmes including the measles mumps and rubella (MMR) programme until 2013. It promoted these programmes in a variety of ways such as leaflets and posters.

In 2013, Public Health England (PHE) took on responsibility for the planning and implementation of these programmes. It has provided MMR related information in the form of media interviews, press releases, social media bulletins, advertising leaflets and posters as well as replying to public correspondence.

In April 2013, an MMR catch up campaign was launched in England in response to the measles outbreak in Wales and parts of England. A number of resources were produced for healthcare professionals and local authorities including:

- presentations and videos by immunisation leads in PHE and the Department;

- joint letter from the Chief Medical Officer, NHS England’s Medical Director and Nursing Director;

- MMR flyers and leaflets; and

- template letters for schools, parents, out of hours walk-in centres and accident and emergency departments.

In May 2013, an MMR National Action Plan was published. This was developed by PHE and NHS England in consultation with the Department. It set out a comprehensive set of local and national actions to increase MMR vaccine coverage among those most at risk.

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