How Herschel Medical Practice in Slough achieved a 10% increase in their overall childhood immunisation uptake rates.
Challenge
Historically, Slough has had some of the lowest uptakes of screening and immunisation programmes in the South East of England, contributing to poor health in both adults and children and health inequalities. Poor uptake of these programmes is also more likely in individuals and key groups in Slough who already experience the worst health outcomes with associated worsening impact on health inequalities.
Our approach
Herschel Medical Practice in Slough worked collaboratively with SCW’s Improving Immunisation Uptake (IIU) team from 2018-2020 to identify and address challenges that were adversely impacting their childhood immunisation uptake rates. Customer benefits realised included:
- Increased uptake rates.
- Improved data quality.
- Increased use of the IIU team’s GP Toolkit, which includes advice and guidance for primary care colleagues to improve childhood immunisation uptake rates, as a primary resource (the toolkit has also been implemented in many other practices across Slough).
- Training and support provided by the IIU team to the immunisation admin lead.
- Practice nurse and admin lead using their individual skillsets to work in partnership which has promoted more effective working.
- The IIU team has worked in partnership with the practice, local authority, primary care, and NHSEI to identify and address cultural and language barriers, in order to further improve uptake groups with lower historic vaccination rates.
- Immunisation processes have been reviewed and updated to ensure missing/outstanding immunisations are followed up in a timely manner.
- More robust processes in place at registration for obtaining immunisation histories. Ghost patients identified and deregistered.
- Making appointments as accessible as possible to parents and therefore decreasing DNAs.
- Follow up of non-attendees by text and telephone to book an appointment
Outcome
Herschel Medical Centre
Uptake % for overall 0-5-year child vaccines Preschool booster uptake %
If you would like more information on the Improving Immunisation Uptake Service, please contact the team via email or telephone.
E: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. T: 0300 561 1855
