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.
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 school and parents and carers are welcome to be there if they would like to be. They also hold 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. You can book a location and time of your choice and in exceptional circumstances, the team can offer home visits. If you would like to discuss this with the SAI team, their contact details can be found below.
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 has enjoyed a very successful 12 months, 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.”
To contact the School Age Immunisation team call 0300 421 8140 or email GHC.Immunisation@ghc.nhs.uk.
Further information about the SAIS can be found on our Trust website: School-aged Immunisation Team > CYPS Glos Health & Care NHS (ghc.nhs.uk)
