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Explore 6 proven focus areas including strong leadership, proactive promotion, and maximizing access. Learn how to maintain accurate information, utilize effective call/recall strategies, and train a knowledgeable workforce for successful immunization programs.
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BEST PRACTICE CHILDHOOD IMMUNISATION GUIDE 6 focus areas proven to optimise uptake
6 focus areas proven to optimise uptake of immunisations • Strong leadership • Proactive promotion • Maintain accurate information • Effective call/recall • Maximise access and continuity • Trained and knowledgeable workforce
1.Strong Leadership • Appoint a designated practice lead for immunisations (see Appendix 1) • Adopt a multi-disciplinary team approach • Discuss children/families who persistently miss appointments in practice meetings and routinely liaise with health visitors • Plan ahead • Strive for continuity of care
2.Proactive Promotion • Promote vaccinations within the surgery, for example using national resources https://www.orderline.dh.gov.uk/ecom_dh/public/home.jsf • Have conversation starters in reception e.g. the ‘MMR bear’
3. Maintain accurate information • Maintain accurate immunisations records • Always check the immunisation status of new registrations (and share this information with CHIS – Child Health Information Service) • Send regular information to CHIS of children moving in and out, and any vaccinations given
Maintain accurate information (contd) • Routinely check the immunisation status and eligibility of all patients during health appointments • Schedule regular searches of the IT system (e.g. quarterly) to identify and follow up patients with outstanding immunisations or who have DNA’d (and their parents as appropriate) - ensure this is highlighted in the notes • Set up IT system alerts on patient records as a reminder to encourage parents if there are outstanding vaccinations
4. Effective call/recall • Adopt a call–recall chain of escalation • Be flexible to patient needs • Minimise/eliminate vaccination waiting lists • Put in place a vaccination DNA management policy • Consider text messaging, ‘birthday cards’, ‘parties’ and other innovations
5. Maximise access and continuity • Ensure clinics (and the practice as a whole) are child and family friendly • Review the immunisation clinics to see if improvements can be made (e.g. extended clinic/opening times, no waiting lists) • Maximise opportunistic vaccination – make every contact count
Maximise access and continuity (contd) • Ensure access to language and learning development support is readily available • Ensure sufficient vaccine stock, safe storage and availability during clinics • Keep the cold chain policy up-to-date • Be proactive about understanding and addressing barriers to access and inequalities – Appendix 3
6. Trained and knowledgeable workforce • Ensure that all immunisers are up-to-date with training (and provide general immunisation training to reception staff) https://www.england.nhs.uk/south/info-professional/public-health/training/ • Remember your ‘8 Rs’ (Royal College of Nursing guidance) – Appendix 2 • Train and develop staff that will be responsible for ensuring uptake is optimised • Use friendly competition
Trained and knowledgeable workforce (contd) • Sign up to Vaccine Update to be aware of any national issues or changes https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/vaccine-update • Save useful internet links as favourites so you can find them easily, such as the incomplete immunisation sheet https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/vaccination-of-individuals-with-uncertain-or-incomplete-immunisation-status
Support Support If you would like any support or more information, please contact the SW screening and immunisation team: england.swscreeningandimms@nhs.net
a practice lead for immunisations Appendix 1: Appoint a practice lead for immunisations The responsibilities of the practice lead should include (not limited to):
a practice lead for immunisations Appendix 2: Remember your ‘8 Rs’ https://www.rcn.org.uk/-/media/royal-college-of-nursing/documents/publications/2018/october/pdf-007201.pdf
Appendix 3: Inequalities • What are the needs of your local population – how would you find this out? • Who doesn’t attend/engage - how can you find out why? • What could the barriers to access be? • Inequalities are seen across a range of dimensions like: age, gender, ethnicity, disability, geography, socio-economic factors (wealth, education, language) • Specific groups may be more vulnerable such as people with learning disabilities, informal carers, looked-after children • How can the practice: • Improve access to services and information? • Engage communities? • Target specific groups? • Collect better data or evidence? • Be proactive: Prepare, Assess, Refine, Apply, Review!