Appendix 4: Additional resources for situational analysis phase
Published 10 June 2026
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Immunisation equity needs assessment checklist
| Before Starting | ||
|---|---|---|
| Has any previous work been done in this area? | ☐ is anyone else locally conducting a needs assessment around immunisation equity? ☐ has a needs assessment been completed previously for the same or similar topic? ☐ is there a recent immunisation equity needs assessment available from another area? |
|
| Is there a need for an immunisation equity needs assessment? | ☐ yes ☐ no |
|
| What resources are required? | ☐ named project leader ☐ team ☐ resources (time and money) ☐ consider the opportunity cost of doing the work in-house versus use of external provider |
|
| Who should be involved? | ☐ map immunisation stakeholders ☐ invite all stakeholders to take part including representation from community, either through voluntary, community, and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations and/or people with lived experience ☐ ensure key stakeholders are fully engaged |
|
| Agree | ☐ scope including population and immunisation programme ☐ timescale ☐ the need for this information (for example, to inform a strategy) ☐ approach to take (epidemiological, comparative, corporate |
|
| Data Collection | ||
| Evaluate immunisation equity using quantitative and qualitative methods | ☐ which population groups have the lowest vaccination uptake across programmes and highest rates and/or outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) in each locality? ☐ how has this changed over time? ☐ where are disparities most pronounced? ☐ for which groups is there insufficient data to understand immunisation inequities? |
|
| Map current service provision | ☐what initiatives are already in place to address the immunisation inequities of your population of interest? ☐ how effective and/or accessible are those initiatives? |
|
| Map existing community links | ☐ what existing relationships with trusted community organisations and leaders can be mobilised to support the commissioning of targeted interventions aimed at reducing inequities? | |
| Explore barriers and facilitators to vaccination | ☐ qualitative methods – focus groups, interviews of service users and stakeholders, rapid insight | |
| Data Analysis | ||
| Quantitative methods | ☐ use of epidemiological techniques to describe the patterns of vaccination within the population and the gaps (for example, uptake, coverage, knowledge, confidence) | |
| Qualitative methods | ☐ thematic analysis ☐ use of behavioural science or conceptual framework |
|
| Gap analysis | ☐ compare the immunisation inequities experienced by your population against the services provided and note any mismatch | |
| Synthesis and recommendations | ||
| Synthesis of key findings | ☐ critical review of methods for synthesis of qualitative research | |
| Formulate recommendations | ☐ formulate recommendations based solely on the evidence gathered ☐ ease and ability for recommendations to be adopted should not play a part at this stage ☐ be brave – confront the elephant in the room, as inequities will not be tackled if everyone pretends they don’t exist |
|
| Communication of findings | ||
| Report | ☐ prepare full report setting out the methods, results, interpretation and recommendations ☐ prepare shorter, easily accessible summary with headline findings and key recommendations to capture decision makers’ attention ☐ prepare lay summary |
|
| Presentations to key stakeholders | ☐ present your findings and key recommendations to important stakeholders and decision makers in a way that is most appropriate for them | |
| Next steps | ||
| The ‘so what’ | ☐ how can immunisation equities be reduced as a result of your needs assessment? | |
| Call to action | ☐ call on stakeholders to commit to actions, as directed by the recommendations | |
| Share learning | ☐ consider submitting your findings to a journal for publication ☐ consider making your report publicly available online ☐ consider circulating via VCSE organisations to relevant community partners |
This checklist was adapted from work by NHS Wales (1).
Additional resources to assist in carrying out health needs assessments:
- Durham Insight: Health Needs Assessment Toolkit (13)
- NHS Wales: Health Needs Assessment - checklist (14)
- Faculty of Public Health: The uses of epidemiology and other methods in defining health service needs and in policy development (15)
- Health Development Agency: Health Needs Assessment: A Practical Guide (16)
- Health Development Agency: Health Needs Assessment Workbook (17)
Sources of quantitative vaccination data and the dimensions of inequity captured
| Data source | Description | Dimensions of inequity captured |
|---|---|---|
| Cover of vaccination evaluated rapidly (COVER) programme | Quarterly data on childhood vaccination coverage for children who reach one, 2 and 5 years of age in that quarter. | Geography down to general practice (GP) level |
| COVER annual reports | Annual official statistics data on routine immunisation offered to all children up to the age of 5 years | Geography down to upper tier local authority level |
| ImmForm portal | Vaccination data for several programmes including human papillomavirus (HPV), meningitis ACWY, tetanus, diphtheria and polio (Td/IPV), influenza, measles, mumps and rubella (MMR), pneumococcal, prenatal pertussis and shingles. Data for automated collections are extracted directly from GP records and may be extracted monthly, quarterly or annually depending on the specific collection. | Geography down to GP level |
| Fingertips health protection profiles | Part of the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) Fingertips tool. The health protection profile contains indicators on vaccination and childhood vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) and is updated annually. | Geography down to lower and upper tier local authority level Deprivation by Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) decile Gender (HPV) |
| National general practice profiles | Part of the DHSC Fingertips tool. The GP profiles contain a selection of indicators for the childhood immunisation programme, as well as shingles. | Geography down to integrated care board (ICB), primary care network (PCN) and GP level |
| Health of the region explorer | Official statistics produced by the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID). This interactive dashboard provides public health intelligence including the coverage of a selection of childhood and flu immunisation programmes. | Geography down to local authority level |
| Vaccine update | Regular reports on vaccination coverage for many programmes including seasonal flu, shingles, HPV, prenatal pertussis and pneumococcal. Data may be extracted monthly, quarterly, or annually depending on the specific programme. | Geography down to local authority and NHS organisation Ethnicity (dependent on programme) |
| Parental attitudes to vaccination in young children survey | Annual online survey to find out what parents of children aged 2 months to 5 years think about immunisation. | Gender Age Geography down to region IMD Social grade Ethnicity Religion |
| GUMCAD data tables | Official statistics from GUMCAD, the sexually transmitted infection surveillance system which collects data on STI tests, diagnoses and services from all commissioned sexual health services in England. An annual release that includes data on the uptake of hepatitis A, hepatitis B, HPV and mpox vaccines. | Geography down to region (can request lower geographies) Gender identity Sexual orientation |
| Unlinked anonymous monitoring survey of people who inject drugs (PWID) | Biobehavioural data from a nationally reflective sample of people who inject drugs accessing drug and alcohol services across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The survey collects data on self-reported uptake of hepatitis B vaccination and data is released annually. | Geography down to region (can request lower geographies) Inclusion health group (PWID) |
| Research and statistics on VPDs | Surveillance reports describe the incidence of VPDs by region. | Geography down to Government Office region |
| Federated Data Platform | NHS operational data on vaccination activity and uptake automatically extracted from GP records via NHS England’s Data Processing Service. Data is updated near real-time. Immunisation programmes covered include COVID-19, seasonal flu, respiratory syncytial virus, MMR, HPV, maternal pertussis. However, data cannot be shared publicly. | Dependent on collection but can include: Geography down to ICB, PCN and school level Age Gender Ethnicity Pregnancy IMD decile |
| Strategic Health Asset Planning and Evaluation (SHAPE) | Online, interactive analysis and insight tool with data on COVID-19 and flu immunisation programmes among eligible cohorts, enabling visual mapping of vaccination site provision. | Geography down to GP level |
Sources: UKHSA (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), (7), DHSC and OHID (8), (9), (10), NHS England (11) and Strata (12).
References
1. Primary Care One. Health needs assessment - checklist. Cardiff: NHS Wales; No date. (Accessed 21 May 2026).
2. UK Health Security Agency. ImmForm: GOV.UK; No date. (Accessed 9 February 2026).
3. UK Health Security Agency. Vaccine uptake guidance and the latest coverage data: GOV.UK; 2026. (Accessed 9 February 2026).
4. UK Health Security Agency. Immunisation: research and statistics: GOV.UK; No date. (Accessed 9 February 2026).
5. UK Health Security Agency. Cover of vaccination evaluated rapidly (COVER) programme: annual reports. GOV.UK: UKHSA; 2025.
6. UK Health Security Agency. Sexually transmitted infections (STIs): annual data: GOV.UK; 2025. (Accessed 10 February 2026).
7. UK Health Security Agency. People who inject drugs: HIV and viral hepatitis monitoring GOV.UK; 2024.(Accessed 10 February 2026)
8. Department for Health and Social Care. Health protection: public health profiles; No date. (Accessed 9 February 2026).
9. Department for Health and Social Care. National general practice profiles; No date. (Accessed 9 February 2026).
10. Office for Health Improvement and Disparities. Health of the region data explorer - GOV.UK 2025. (Accessed 10 February 2026).
11. NHS England. Federated Data Platform; No date.(Accessed 9 February 2026).
12. Strata. Strategic Health Asset Planning and Evaluation (SHAPE); No date. (Accessed 9 February 2026).
13. Durham Insight. Health needs assessment toolkit. Durham: County Durham; 2025.
14. Primary Care One. Health needs assessment - checklist. Cardiff: NHS Wales; No date.
15. Currie C, Bindra R. Faculty of Public Health Textbook: The uses of epidemiology and other methods in defining health service needs and in policy development: Faculty of Public Health; 2016. (Accessed: 6 February 2026)
16. Cavanagh S, Chadwick K. Health needs assessment: a practical guide. London: Health Development Agency; 2005.
17. Hooper J, Longworth P. Health needs assessment workbook. London: Health Development Agency; 2002.