Bristol Immunisation Group review of 2015-16

Professor Adam Finn, Dr Julie Yates and Dr Marion Roderick, Directors of the Bristol Immunisation Group Health Integration Team (BIG HIT) give an update on the HIT’s progress in 2015-16.

The Bristol Immunisation Group aims to strengthen and
support the many agencies involved in ensuring that immunisations reach the
children and adults who need them. There is now a strong collaborative group
meeting regularly to address our agreed goals. Over the last year we have
supported updating and cleansing of the child health database, the backbone for
immunisation data and delivery.

Immunisations in schools have been a particular challenge for
Bristol, as traditionally no vaccines were delivered in schools, and the
national programme has changed and expanded every year. We have started talking
to local teenagers about how we can ensure the programme is as accessible as
possible. We plan to improve school liaison to ensure immunisations have the
full support of staff, and integrate with the healthy schools programme.

Using the immunisation health needs assessment, we will target the
weakest areas of the programme with evidence-based interventions. Our aim is to
optimise delivery, uptake and mapping of immunisations, while adding to the
evidence base through collaborative research.

www.bristolhealthpartners.org.uk/immunisation