Collection

Immunisation

Information for immunisation practitioners and other health professionals.

Published 15 October 2013
Last updated 14 May 2018 — see all updates

• From: Public Health England

The World Health Organization says:

The two public health interventions that have had the greatest impact on the world’s health are clean water and vaccines.

‘Immunisation against infectious disease’, also known as the Green Book, has the latest information on vaccines and vaccination procedures in the UK.

Immunisation patient group direction (PGD) templates are available for authorisation and adoption to provide NHS routine immunisation services.

Vaccine update newsletters cover developments in the field and updates to the Green Book.

See the latest vaccine uptake guidance and statistics.

Minutes of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) meetings are available.

PHE commissions attitudinal surveys to understand parental knowledge and attitudes towards the immunisation programme to inform the planning of the childhood immunisation programme.

A timeline showing the development and introduction of vaccines in the UK from 1796 to 2017

Vaccine programmes

Joint letters from the Department of Health, Public Health England and NHS England announce changes to vaccine programmes. Training slide sets and other resources to accompany these new programmes are also available:

• Annual flu programme
• Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination for men who have sex with men (MSM) programme
• Measles catch-up
• Meningococcal ACWY (MenACWY)
• Meningococcal B (MenB)
• Meningococcal C (MenC)
• Rotavirus
• Shingles vaccination

ImmForm

The ImmForm website is the government’s vaccine ordering facility. You need to use Internet Explorer to use the website. There is a registration helpsheet to help you access the ImmForm website.

Immunisation publications

Use Department of Health Orderline to order paper copies of leaflets.

Browse an archive of older publications.

Childhood immunisation schedules

1. Complete routine immunisation schedule

   • 12 April 2018
   • Guidance

2. Vaccination of individuals with uncertain or incomplete immunisation status

   • 13 November 2017
   • Guidance

3. Routine childhood immunisation schedule

   • 28 July 2017
   • Guidance

Immunisation leaflets and guidance for parents

1. Immunisations for young people

   • 4 July 2017
   • Promotional material

2. Pregnancy: how to help protect you and your baby

   • 3 July 2017
   • Promotional material

3. Immunisations: babies up to 13 months of age

   • 29 June 2017
   • Promotional material

4. MMR vaccination: Have you had your MMR?

   • 31 May 2017
   • Promotional material

5. Vaccines and porcine gelatine

   • 10 September 2015
   • Guidance

6. What to expect after vaccinations

   • 28 July 2015
   • Guidance

7. Childhood immunisation: quick guide for parents of premature babies

   • 4 July 2017
   • Promotional material

8. Immunisations at one year of age

   • 30 June 2017
   • Promotional material

9. Pre-school vaccinations: guide to vaccinations from 2 to 5 years

   • 3 July 2017
   • Promotional material

10. Splenectomy: leaflet and card

    • 28 January 2015
    • Promotional material

11. Immunisation: why our children must be protected (DVD)

    • 12 March 2014
    • Promotional material

Vaccine handling and protocols

1. Keep your vaccines healthy poster and magnet

   • 13 March 2018
   • Guidance

2. Vaccines stored outside the recommended temperature range: leaflet

   • 21 October 2016
   • Guidance

3. Vaccination in pregnancy (VIP)

   • 21 January 2015
   • Guidance

4. Off-label vaccine: leaflets

   • 9 December 2014
   • Guidance

5. Influenza vaccine and porcine gelatine: guidance for health professionals

   • 15 October 2014
   • Guidance

6. Vaccine storage management: Care Quality Commission inspection

   • 7 October 2014
   • Guidance

7. Protocol for ordering, storing and handling vaccines

   • 2 April 2014
   • Guidance

8. Vaccine incident guidance: responding to vaccine errors

   • 1 March 2012
   • Guidance

Hexavalent combination vaccine (DTaP/IPV/Hib/HepB)

1. Hexavalent combination vaccine: programme guidance

   • 17 November 2017
   • Guidance

Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib)

1. Use of Infanrix-IPV+Hib in the infant immunisation schedule

   • 25 March 2015
   • Guidance

2. Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib): revised recommendations for the prevention of secondary cases

   • 22 August 2013
   • Guidance

Human papillomavirus (HPV) for girls

See the advice about HPV vaccine administered unintentionally during pregnancy from the HPA’s archived website.

1. HPV vaccination for girls: programme poster

   • 25 August 2017
   • Promotional material

2. Human papillomavirus (HPV): vaccination record card

   • 25 August 2017
   • Promotional material

3. HPV vaccine: beating cervical cancer

   • 25 August 2017
   • Promotional material

4. HPV vaccine: vaccination guide leaflet

   • 19 July 2017
   • Promotional material

5. HPV vaccination and cervical cancer: addressing the myths

   • 30 December 2016
   • Guidance

6. Changes to the HPV vaccine schedule 2014 to 2015: advice for healthcare professionals

   • 10 June 2014
   • Guidance

7. Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination consent form

   • 10 June 2014
   • Form

8. HPV vaccination programme: change from 3 to 2 doses

   • 14 May 2014
   • Correspondence

Pertussis (whooping cough)

1. Pertussis: guidelines for public health management

   • 3 May 2018
   • Guidance

2. Pertussis (whooping cough): information for healthcare professionals

   • 3 May 2018
   • Guidance

3. Whooping cough: vaccination in pregnancy programme resources

   • 8 September 2017
   • Promotional material

4. Pertussis: guidelines for public health management in a healthcare setting

   • 2 November 2016
   • Guidance

5. Vaccination against pertussis (whooping cough) for pregnant women

   • 22 June 2016
   • Guidance

6. Whooping cough vaccination programme for pregnant women: extension to 2014

   • 27 June 2014
   • Guidance

Measles, mumps and rubella (MMR)

History of measles and rubella vaccination

• Excerpt about the rarity of serious adverse reactions to the MMR vaccine: Current problems in pharmacovigilance, Vol 21, November 1995, published by the Medicines Control Agency and Committee on Safety of Medicines

• Department of Health report on the 1994 measles rubella immunisation campaign One Year On

• Report and evaluation on measles-rubella immunisation campaign in the mid-1990s

1. Measles and rubella elimination UK

   • 14 May 2018
   • Guidance

2. Measles: protect yourself, protect others

   • 6 March 2018
   • Guidance

3. Measles outbreak

   • 15 December 2017
   • Promotional material

4. Thinking of getting pregnant?

   • 24 October 2016
   • Promotional material

5. MMR for all: general leaflet

   • 1 August 2016
   • Guidance

6. Think measles: poster for young people

   • 1 June 2016
   • Guidance

7. Think measles: patient leaflet for young people

   • 31 May 2016
   • Guidance

8. Think measles: poster about measles in young people

   • 31 May 2016
   • Promotional material

9. Rubella resources

   • 2 January 2014
   • Guidance

10. Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR): use of combined vaccine instead of single vaccines

    • 1 January 2014
    • Guidance

11. Measles: Don't let your child catch it - poster

    • 7 April 2017
    • Promotional material

12. Measles: Don't let your child catch it flyer (for GPs)

    • 8 May 2013
    • Promotional material

13. Measles: Don't let your child catch it flyer (for schools)

    • 8 May 2013
    • Promotional material

Tuberculosis

1. Intervax BCG vaccine: training material for healthcare professionals

   • 13 March 2018
   • Guidance

2. Intervax BCG vaccine certificates

   • 1 March 2017
   • Guidance

3. Unlicensed BCG vaccine: advice for healthcare professionals

   • 28 February 2017
   • Promotional material

4. Unlicensed BCG vaccine: guide for parents and carers

   • 28 February 2017
   • Guidance

5. Tuberculosis: the disease, its treatment and prevention

   • 31 March 2016
   • Promotional material

6. BCG vaccine: use of SSI BCG vaccine batch 114022A post expiry

   • 25 January 2016
   • Correspondence

7. TB, BCG and your baby leaflet

   • 20 October 2015
   • Promotional material

Training resources

E-learning immunisation resources

• an interactive immunisation e-learning course, written in line with the national minimum training standards and consisting of 7 knowledge sessions with accompanying assessments, is available for all healthcare practitioners with a role in immunisation - registration is free of charge

• immunology for immunisers animation

Immunisation of pregnant woman

The immunisation of pregnant woman and neonates slidesets have been developed to support the delivery of immunisation training to health care workers providing or advising on immunisation of pregnant women:

• background, history and attitudes towards maternal vaccination
• influenza and pertussis vaccines
• selective vaccination programmes for neonates
• pre- and post-natal viral rash illness inadvertent vaccination
• governance considerations, challenges to achieving high vaccine coverage, horizon scanning and resources

1. Immunisation training standards for healthcare practitioners

   • 7 February 2018
   • Guidance

2. The Green Book multiple choice questions

   • 11 December 2017
   • Guidance

3. Immunisation training of healthcare support workers: national minimum standards and core curriculum

   • 28 September 2015
   • Guidance

4. MenB and MenACWY programmes: video training guide

   • 2 September 2015
   • Guidance

5. MenB and MenACWY programmes: advanced training slides

   • 3 August 2015
   • Guidance

6. Pertussis (whooping cough) immunisation for pregnant women: resources and training

   • 11 October 2012
   • Guidance

Infographics

1. Vaccination timeline

   • 10 October 2017
   • Promotional material

2. The battle against meningococcal disease: infographic

   • 9 May 2016
   • Promotional material

3. The impact of vaccines: infographic

   • 9 May 2016
   • Promotional material

4. Vaccines throughout life: infographic

   • 9 May 2016
   • Promotional material

5. Infographic of the impact of vaccines in England and Wales

   • 1 May 2016
   • Promotional material

Published 15 October 2013
Last updated 14 May 2018 + show all updates

1. 14 May 2018 Added Measles and rubella elimination UK publication to the MMR section.
2. 5 April 2018 Added link to the HPV for MSM programme page.
3. 19 March 2018 Added link to the current e-learning course.
4. 5 March 2018 Added Measles: protect yourself, protect others leaflet.
5. 7 February 2018 Added the national minimum standards and core curriculum for immunisation training for registered healthcare practitioners guidance document.
6. 5 February 2018 Added the HPV vaccination for men who have sex with men evaluation report
7. 22 November 2017 Added measles poster and leaflets to raise awareness of measles outbreaks.
8. 21 November 2017 Added immunisation in pregnancy training resources.
9. 10 October 2017 Vaccination timeline infographic updated to include the hexavalent combination vaccine (DTaP/IPV/Hib/HepB).
10. 19 July 2017 Added leaflet: HPV vaccination guide from September 2017.
11. 6 July 2017 Added guidance on the infant hexavalent combination vaccine (DTaP/IPV/Hib/HepB).
12. 31 May 2017 Add 'MMR leaflet: Have you had your MMR?'.
13. 23 December 2016 New HPV factsheet for health professionals.
14. 29 July 2016 New template letter for parents of babies who missed BCG immunisation
15. 30 June 2016 Added guidance for the unlicensed BCG vaccine, in response to a vaccine shortage: training material for healthcare professionals; advice for healthcare professionals; guide for parents and carers.
16. 9 May 2016 Addied immunisation infographics to the collection.
17. 1 April 2016 New leaflet: Pregnancy: how to help protect you and your baby which describes the vaccinations that help protect you and your baby during and after pregnancy.
18. 25 January 2016 Added letter about expiry extension for SSI BCG vaccine batch 114022A.
19. 21 October 2015 Added: Responding to cold chain failures involving the LAIV.
20. 15 October 2015 Added 'Immunisations for young people' leaflet, updated to match the current schedule.
21. 15 October 2015 Updated with current leaflet about pre-school immunisations.
22. 28 September 2015 Added immunisation training resources: competence assessment tool and quality framework.
23. 10 September 2015 Added leaflet on vaccines and porcine gelatine.
24. 22 June 2015 Added details of introduction of MenB and MenACWY vaccines.
25. 9 December 2014 The following have been added to the collection under 'vaccine handling and protocols': off-label vaccine: leaflets; cold chain leaflet: vaccines stored outside the recommended temperature range
26. 31 July 2014 Added links to vaccine in pregnancy surveillance advice.
27. 3 July 2014 Added vaccine incident guidance, one page guide for patients with incomplete or uncertain histories, and guidance about porcine gelatine content in Fluenz(R). Restructured with better headings.
28. 24 June 2014 Vaccination against pertussis (whooping cough) for pregnant women guidance added under documents and pertussis (whooping cough) headings.
29. 16 June 2014 Updated to add 'Use of Infanrix-IPV+Hib in the infant schedule: information for healthcare professionals' guidance.
30. 23 May 2014 Updated to include routine childhood immunisations from July 2014
31. 9 May 2014 Added letter about schedule change to HPV vaccination programme.
32. 7 May 2014 Updated to include links to the complete routine immunisation schedule from summer 2014 and new vaccines for 2014 poster.
33. 4 April 2014 Meningitis C leaflet for university students added. Grouped documents by topic. Removed documents that are available from their own topic collections.
34. 2 April 2014 The guidance 'Protocol for ordering, storing and handling vaccines' was added to the collection.
35. 26 March 2014 Removed vaccine uptake documents from this collection; collected separately in 'vaccine uptake' collection.
36. 12 March 2014 Updated the immunisation section to add a link for ordering publications online; revised description of some document links.
37. 23 January 2014 Added 'Seasonal flu vaccine uptake in GP patients 1 September 2013 to 31 December 2013' and 'Seasonal flu vaccine uptake in healthcare workers 1 September 2013 to 31 December 2013'
38. 19 December 2013 Added 'Seasonal flu vaccine uptake in healthcare workers 1 September 2013 to 30 November 2013' and 'Seasonal flu vaccine uptake in GP patients 1 September 2013 to 30 November 2013'.
39. 10 December 2013 Added 'Annual HPV vaccine coverage 2012 to 2013: by PCT and SHA' and 'Annual HPV vaccine coverage 2012 to 2013: by PCT and area team'.
40. 29 November 2013 Added 'Pertussis vaccination programme for pregnant women 2012 to 2013: monthly data by area team (England)'.
41. 21 November 2013 Added 'Seasonal flu vaccine uptake data for GP Patients: provisional monthly data for 1 September 2013 to 31 October 2013' and 'Seasonal flu vaccine uptake in healthcare workers 2013-2014: provisional monthly data for 1 September 2013 to 31 October 2013'.
42. 6 November 2013 Added poster promoting flu jabs to those at risk.
43. 6 November 2013 Added 'Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine uptake monthly survey 2013 to 2014 user guide', 'Prenatal pertussis vaccine uptake surveys 2013 to 2014 quick reference guide' and a revised version of the 'Prenatal pertussis vaccine uptake surveys 2013 to 2014 user guide'.
44. 15 October 2013 First published.