This website is intended for healthcare professionals

Dr Catherine Heffernan looks at the latest guidance for nurses on vaccinations

Over the past 10 years, there have been several changes to the national immunisation policy (delivered as Section 7a immunisation programme). The year 2013/14 introduced three new vaccination programme (oral rotavirus, intranasal influenza and shingles vaccine). 

This was followed by pertussis vaccination for pregnant women; HPV for men who have sex with men (MSM); Men B vaccination in the routine childhood immunisation schedule; universal HPV; and COVID vaccination. Not forgetting the changes in doses to the PCV schedule, HPV schedule and the swapping out of Men C vaccination with Men ACWY for adolescents. 

More on this topic

This year the live shingles vaccine Zostavax was replaced by the inactivated two-dose Shingrix in the adult programme. In 2022, the Joint Committee of Vaccinations and Immunisations (JCVI) issued an interim statement on the discontinuation of Hib/Men C vaccine and recommending that MMR second dose is given at 18 months rather than with the preschool booster to improve coverage.1  

Register now for access

Thank you for visiting Independent Nurse and reading some of our premium content. To read more, please register today. 

Register

Already have an account? Sign in here