Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to help increase the uptake of routine childhood immunisations.

The Department works alongside the UK Health Security Agency and NHS England on a range of initiatives to support increased uptake of the routine childhood programmes, including improved data collection to identify and address underserved populations, communication campaigns aimed at parents and guardians and improving children’s access to vaccination services through diverse delivery methods, making getting vaccinated easier for all.

NHS England has also rolled out additional programmes to improve immunisation coverage for children and catch those up who missed their initial offer, including NHS London’s measles, mumps and rubella campaign and a multi-phase polio campaign. Both campaigns also provide opportunities to catch up children for other important childhood vaccines, too.

It is vitally important that everyone takes up the vaccinations to which they are entitled, for themselves, their families, and wider society. Anyone unsure about their child’s eligibility or vaccination status should contact their general practitioner for advice.