Mentions:
1: Johnstone, Alison (NPA - Lothian) I remind all members of the need for courtesy. [Interruption.] - Speech Link
2: Yousaf, Humza (SNP - Glasgow Pollok) Those are 23,000 people who would not be here if it were not for vaccinations and the non-pharmaceutical - Speech Link
3: Callaghan, Stephanie (SNP - Uddingston and Bellshill) vaccinations—whether one or both doses—have been missed? - Speech Link
4: Whitfield, Martin (Lab - South Scotland) Work has been undertaken in our universities to ensure that measles vaccinations are up to date. - Speech Link
5: Simpson, Graham (Con - Central Scotland) That might be all right for its new chief executive, Alex Plant, who can well afford it on his £295,000 - Speech Link
Asked by: Lennon, Monica (Scottish Labour - Central Scotland)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that vaccination rates in Scotland are in line with the European region of the World Health Organization recommendation that, on a national basis, at least 95% of children are immunised against diseases preventable by immunisation and targeted for elimination or control, including diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), measles, mumps and rubella, and, in light of recent measles outbreaks in the UK, what the MMR vaccine uptake currently is in each NHS board, broken down by (a) first dose, (b) second dose and (c) age.
Answered by Minto, Jenni - Minister for Public Health and Women's Health
Public Health Scotland (PHS), through the Scottish Vaccination and Immunisation Programme (SVIP), is responsible for oversight and leadership of vaccine delivery in Scotland. The Scottish Government is part of SVIP and is working closely with PHS and NHS Boards to promote and encourage uptake of all childhood immunisations.
It is important that all parents and carers ensure that children attend their routine scheduled childhood vaccinations when invited to give them the best protection possible against vaccine preventable diseases.
The NHS Inform website provides details of how to arrange an appointment for anyone who has not had two doses of the free MMR vaccine.
The most recent childhood immunisation uptake statistics, which were published on 19 December 2023 for the quarter ending 30 September 2023, can be found on the PHS website: Childhood immunisation statistics Scotland - Quarter ending 30 September 2023 - Childhood immunisation statistics Scotland - Publications - Public Health Scotland
Asked by: Bambos Charalambous (Labour - Southgate and Wood Green)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of children’s access to vaccination services.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
The Government is committed to improving vaccination uptake rates to fully protect the public from vaccine preventable diseases. The Department works with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and NHS England to improve children’s access to vaccination services through diverse delivery methods, making getting vaccinated easier for all, including those in traditionally under-served groups. NHS England has rolled out additional programmes such as NHS England London’s new drive to increase measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine uptake last summer to improve immunisation coverage for children and catch-up missed vaccinations due to the pandemic.
The Department is working with NHS England and UKHSA to encourage high uptake of all childhood vaccinations, including the polio vaccine, with NHS England London launching the next phase of their polio campaign, delivering a school-based catch-up for children aged between one and 11 years old. This will also provide opportunities to catch up children for other important childhood vaccines, including MMR.
Mentions:
1: None We all know that winter is the most challenging time of the year for the NHS and social care, as our - Speech Link
2: None To help prevent the spread of winter viruses, we brought forward flu and Covid vaccinations, protecting - Speech Link
3: Lord Markham (Con - Life peer) He is right in terms of Covid and flu vaccinations, but it is also the case for the take-up of all sorts - Speech Link
4: Baroness Finlay of Llandaff (XB - Life peer) that to be deferred and, secondly, for all those doctors to be contacted and asked directly how they - Speech Link
Asked by: Simon Jupp (Conservative - East Devon)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of making access to Bacillus Calmette-Guérin vaccinations available to farming and agricultural families that regularly interact with livestock.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
The Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination is not usually recommended for people aged over 16 years old, unless the risk of exposure is great. The vaccination can be offered to veterinary staff and those who handle animals or animal materials, for instance abattoir workers, which could be infected with tuberculosis (TB). Based on the current available evidence, only a very small subset of farmers may be at high risk of TB exposure and therefore eligible for vaccination. This does not include farmer’s household contacts or children who would not constitute a risk sufficiently high enough to warrant a recommendation for the vaccine. If the level of risk should increase, then the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation could be asked to review this.
Eligibility for the BCG vaccination as an occupational health vaccine should be based on an individual risk assessment. Those eligible would need to access the vaccine through a private occupational health provider, and may seek further advice from the National Farmers Union. Non-National Health Service providers can charge for this service.
Under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH), all new employees, including farmers, should undergo a pre-employment health assessment, which should include a review of immunisation needs. The COSHH risk assessment will indicate which pathogens staff are exposed to in their workplace, such as bovine TB. Staff considered to be at risk of exposure to pathogens should be offered routine pre-exposure immunisation as appropriate. This decision should also take into account the safety and efficacy of available vaccines.
May. 02 2024
Source Page: Flu & COVID-19 Vaccination Programme (FVCV) 2023-24 Equality Impact AssessmentFound: This framework outlines the overarching approach to all vaccinations in Scotland, this is a joint framework
Mentions:
1: Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Con - Life peer) I thank the noble Lord for his wise observations. - Speech Link
2: Lord Framlingham (Con - Life peer) My Lords, given the acceptance now of the damage that can be inflicted by the Covid booster vaccinations - Speech Link
3: Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Con - Life peer) That is more a matter for the Department of Health and Social Care than for me, but module 4 will look - Speech Link
4: Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Con - Life peer) All these are informed by what we need to do as a result of the dreadful pandemic. - Speech Link
5: Baroness Fraser of Craigmaddie (Con - Life peer) our population for future reference? - Speech Link
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what work they are undertaking with the devolved administrations to extend the commitment to eliminate cervical cancers in all parts of the UK.
Answered by Lord Markham
NHS England has developed an implementation plan to eliminate cervical cancer by 2040 and will work collaboratively with key partners including National Health Service regions, charities and third sector stakeholders, as well as learning from the approaches being taken across the devolved nations.
NHS England’s plan covers activity for the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination and cervical screening pathways. To support increased access and uptake of the HPV vaccination to school aged children, NHS England continues to work with all key stakeholders at regional level to strengthen local initiatives and encourage innovative models to approach the robust delivery of school aged vaccinations.
An in-service evaluation is being commissioned by the National Institute for Health and Care Research to determine whether HPV self-sampling could be used to improve the NHS Cervical Screening Programme. Screening activity includes a review of the screening information materials, development of IT systems to give insights into behaviours, and a review of the colposcopy services.
Further work is planned to include a general practice opt-in option for trans men and non-binary people, pilot text reminders for all eligible patients, expanding access to a range of locations, and targeted upskilling of workforce.
Health is a devolved matter in Scotland and Wales and a transferred matter in Northern Ireland. While Department officials work closely with their counterparts in the devolved administrations, any decision on commitments on cervical cancer in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales are the responsibility of the respective governments in each country.
Asked by: Mark Hendrick (Labour (Co-op) - Preston)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 5 February 2024 to Question 11582 on MMR Vaccine: North West, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the lower uptake of MMR2 at five years; and what steps her Department is taking to increase the uptake of childhood vaccines.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
It is vitally important that everyone takes up the vaccinations to which they are entitled. Vaccination rates across the country are too low, particularly in some local areas, and we need a concerted effort to reach the 95% coverage, with two doses of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, required to provide population protection.
The Department works with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and NHS England to improve immunisation through diverse delivery methods, making getting vaccinated easier for all, including those in traditionally under-served groups. The UKHSA launched a new multi-media marketing campaign across England on 4 March 2024, to remind parents and carers of the risk of their children missing out on protection against serious diseases that are re-emerging in the country.
There have also been increased outreach efforts to make sure that communities with historically lower uptake are informed of the benefits of vaccines and have access to inclusive resources. For example, in the North West and the Midlands, National Health Service teams are using initiatives like roving clinics, extra vaccination sessions in schools, and community pharmacies to step up their efforts to get more children protected with the MMR vaccine.
The Government supports NHS programmes focused on improving coverage, including regional and national campaigns for polio, and a new targeted national MMR catch-up campaign for children aged six to 11 years old this year, extended to all those aged 11 to 25 years old in London, the West Midlands and the North West. Human papillomavirus infection vaccination catch-ups for adolescents are also taking place.
The NHS Vaccination strategy outlines plans to maximise convenience, with more vaccination services at locations that the public can easily access such as libraries, leisure centres, social clubs or sports grounds, family hubs, support services, and places of worship, or at local cultural and community events, with flexible opening hours and booking options.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many claims on (a) MMR, (b) Covid-19 and (c) all other vaccinations have been made to the Vaccine Damage Payments Scheme in each of the last three years; and how many of each are awaiting a decision as of 1 February 2024.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
In 2021 there were 27 claims related to measles, mumps or rubella (MMR) received by the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme (VDPS), one of which is still awaiting a decision as of 1 February 2024. Additionally in 2021, 616 claims were received relating to COVID-19, with 42 still awaiting an outcome as of 1 February 2024. 43 claims were received for all other diseases covered by the Vaccine Damage Payment Act (VDPA) 1979, and in this category, seven applications were awaiting an outcome as of 1 February 2024.
In 2022 there were 19 claims related to MMR received by the VDPS, one of which is still awaiting a decision as of 1 February 2024. Furthermore in 2022, 2723 claims were received relating to COVID-19 with 266 still awaiting an outcome as of 1 February 2024. 86 claims were received for all other diseases covered by the VDPA 1979, and of these, 12 applications were still awaiting an outcome as of 1 February 2024.
In 2023 there were five claims related to MMR received by the VDPS, one of which is still awaiting a decision as of 1 February 2024. In this same year, 5383 claims were received relating to COVID-19 with 3519 still awaiting an outcome on 1 February 2024. 222 claims were received for all other diseases covered by the VDPA 1979, and of these, 139 applications were still awaiting an outcome as of 1 February 2024.