Our School Age Immunisation Service (SAIS) is delighted to be continuing delivery of the national school-based immunisation programme in Gloucestershire.
Our Trust has been the commissioned SAIS provider for the county for the past 15 years – as Gloucestershire Care Services (GCS) NHS Trust between 2009 and 2019, then Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust, following the merger in October 2019 of GCS and 2gether NHS Foundation Trust.
Operating across Gloucestershire, our School Age Immunisation team work to protect the health and wellbeing of children in the county by delivering the National Immunisation Programme. The National Immunisation Programme means that diseases like Polio have disappeared in the UK; this is only possible by maintaining the high vaccination rates for children and young people across our local communities.
Our School Age Immunisation Service provides the below immunisations to all school-age children, including those who are home educated and in special education schools:
- Seasonal Flu vaccination to protect healthy children in primary and secondary schools
- Seasonal Flu vaccination to protect children in special schools for those aged between 4–18 years
- Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination to protect against cervical cancer for those in school years 8 and 9 and any young person in Years 10 or 11 who have missed the vaccination
- Teenage booster and Meningitis ACWY vaccinations to protect young people against Tetanus, Diphtheria and Polio and Meningitis for those in school year 9, and any young person in Years 10, 11 and additional years who have missed the vaccination
- Measles Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine for those in school years 8-11 who have never previously had the vaccines, or only had one dose.
Some children with special educational needs or disabilities may find vaccination sessions stressful. Our School Age Immunisation team are experienced in supporting children and young people who have additional needs and may be anxious about vaccinations. They vaccinate in schools and parents and carers are welcome to be there if they would like to be.
The SAIS also holds clinics in the school holidays at locations across Gloucestershire, for children with additional needs, any child who missed their vaccination at school, or those who are home educated. Parents and carers can book a location and time of their choice and, in exceptional circumstances, the team can offer home visits.
Charlotte Forward, Deputy Service Director for Children and Young People’s Services (CYPS) in Gloucestershire, said: “We welcome the news that NHS England is continuing the contract with our School Age Immunisation Service to deliver the school-based immunisation programme in Gloucestershire.
“The service enjoyed a very successful 2023/24 school year, immunising more than 105,000 school-age children and young people against HPV, TdiPV, MenACWY and influenza.
“We look forward to continuing the provision of this high-quality, responsive service, and working with schools and other local partners to support parents, carers and all eligible children and young people to access immunisation opportunities, to improve their chances of remaining healthy, and safeguard the public health of the population of Gloucestershire.”
The School Age Immunisation Service will be in touch with schools shortly with further information about how the immunisation programme will be delivered during the 2024/25 academic year.
If you have any queries, the team can be contacted on 0300 421 8140; email GHC.Immunisation@ghc.nhs.uk.
Further information about the School Age Immunisation Service can be found here: School-aged Immunisation Team > CYPS Glos Health & Care NHS (ghc.nhs.uk)
