Posted 28 July 2023 - 12:58
Posted 28 July 2023 - 12:58
News
Nursing students could take on vaccine delivery as uptake falls
MPs call for better practical access to routine immunisations as uptake among children declines and health security agency warns of possible measles outbreak
MPs call for better practical access to routine immunisations as uptake among children declines and health security agency warns of possible measles outbreak
Nursing students could soon have a greater role in delivering routine vaccines, as the government looks at ways to boost uptake.
A new report from the Commons Health and Social Care Select Committee sounded the alarm over the falling number of children receiving routine immunisations for illnesses such as meningitis, measles and hepatitis B.
Routine vaccine uptake for childhood diseases is on the decline
MPs said that it was ‘unacceptable’ that people find it difficult to attend vaccination appointments due to ‘practical challenges’ such as the time and location of appointments, and urged health leaders to improve access.
To aid this, the government has been asked to consider regulatory changes to allow nursing students, recently retired staff and other medical students a greater role in routine immunisation delivery.
The committee said a more flexible delivery model that makes the most of all healthcare professionals was needed to ensure people can get a vaccine appointment at a convenient time and location.
When nursing students can and cannot administer vaccines
At present, nursing students can administer vaccines if they have been properly trained and deemed competent to do so in line with proficiency standards, Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) director of professional practice Anne Trotter said.
‘It is up to the government to decide whether to engage students in that activity, including having the necessary indemnity insurance in place and ensuring students continue to prioritise their learning and successfully complete all other requirements of their nursing programme,’ Ms Trotter added.
The latest data show that vaccine coverage fell in 13 out of the 14 routine programmes for children aged up to five years in 2021-22.
Calls for better access to immunisation amid warnings of possible measles outbreak
The UK Health Security Agency recently issued a warning that London risks a measles outbreak of up to 160,000 cases if vaccine uptake remains low. It said there were 128 cases of measles in the first six months of 2023, compared with 54 in the whole of 2022.
While vaccine hesitancy was noted as an issue, the committee concluded that better access to services locally and a greater number of healthcare professional delivering vaccinations would help boost uptake.
Committee chair Steve Brine said: ‘Vaccination is one of the greatest success stories when it comes to preventing infection. However, unless the government addresses challenges around declining rates among childhood immunisations and implements reform on clinical trials, the UK’s position as a global leader on vaccination risks being lost.’
In other news
- Cancer nurses at breaking point as quit rate hits ten-year high
- Nurse sickness: more than half a million days lost in one month
- Police not attending mental health call-outs ‘puts lives at risk’
