This webpage contains important information about School-aged Immunisation. This service in Halton and Warrington and is provided by Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (Bridgewater).
Vaccines are the most effective way to prevent infectious diseases, protecting your child and people in your community from many serious and deadly diseases.
If you wish to discuss any of the content found on this page, or wish for further advice or guidance, please contact our School-aged Immunisation Team. Their numbers can be found below.
Vaccination and immunisations
Across Halton and Warrington, Bridgewater deliver the following school-aged immunisation programmes as directed by the National Childhood Immunisation Programme:
- Nasal Flu
- Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)
- Tetanus, Diphtheria and Polio (Td/IPV)
- Meningococcal (MenACWY)
- Catch up Measles, Mumps and Rubella (offered opportunistically to those in Year 9 or above, who have not previously had a dose of combined MMR vaccination)
Our teams offer and administer vaccinations in all schools. If a child misses their immunisation in school, is home educated or has an individual need, they can come along to one of our community clinics.
At the appropriate time, a letter will be sent out electronically via your child’s school. This letter provides parents/carers with a link to follow and unique school code to enable parents/carers to complete a consent form electronically.
If the consent form is not received, young people in secondary school are able to self-consent in certain circumstances (known as ‘Gillick Competence’) but only after an individual assessment by the immunisation nurse. The nurse will check the child meets certain guidelines, such as being able to understand the information and have capacity in order to self-consent.
Consent to treatment – Children and young people – NHS (www.nhs.uk)
On the day of the vaccination session in school/clinic the nurse will check the consent form and make sure your child is well and able to have the immunisations that day.
Vaccinations offered
The Nasal Flu Vaccine – offered to all School Aged Children from Reception to Year 11.
In the Autumn/Winter of 2023/24, the annual flu vaccine will be offered to school age children from Reception to Year 11, as part of the national childhood vaccination programme.
If your child has a health condition that puts them at higher risk of serious complications from flu, vaccination can also be accessed via the GP surgery.
This vaccination programme is in place to help protect your child against flu.
Flu can be an unpleasant illness and sometimes causes serious complications.
Vaccinating your child will also help protect more vulnerable friends and family by preventing the spread of flu.
The flu virus can change year on year and therefore vaccines are made each year to provide protection against the flu viruses that are predicted to circulate, and which is why the vaccine needs to be given on an annual basis.
The vaccine is given as a single spray squirted up each nostril. Not only is it needle-free – a big advantage for children – the nasal spray is quick, painless, and works even better than the injected flu vaccine.
The vaccine is absorbed very quickly. It will still work even if, after the vaccination, your child develops a runny nose, sneezes or blows their nose.
Please view the leaflet explaining the vaccination programme including details about the small number of children for whom the nasal vaccine is not appropriate.
Read the patient information leaflet for the nasal spray flu vaccine (PDF, 238kb).
School flu dates 2023
HPV (Human Papilloma Virus)
The HPV vaccine has been offered to all girls in school year 8 since 2008. From September 2019 the vaccine was introduced to year 8 boys.
This was because the evidence was clear that the HPV vaccine helps protect both boys and girls from HPV-related cancers.
From 1 September 2023, The UKHSA (UK Health Security Agency) have announced that the HPV programme will change from a 2 dose to 1 dose schedule for all eligible adolescents.
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has advised that a one dose schedule has been shown to be just as effective in providing protection from the HPV infection then providing 2 doses.
Routine HPV Programme from September 2023.
- Children in year 8 will receive one dose only.
- Children in year 9 and above who have already received one HPV vaccination will be considered fully vaccinated. They will not require a second dose.
- Children in year 9 and above who have not yet received any HPV vaccinations will be eligible to receive one dose of the HPV vaccine.
Please see the following leaflet that provides further information about the Universal HPV vaccination programme.
HPV Vaccination: Protection against HPV infection to help reduce your risk of cancer.
Since July 2022, Gardasil 9 is the vaccine used to protect against HPV:
Tetanus, Diphtheria and Polio (Td/IPV) and Meningitis ACWY
Tetanus, Diphtheria and Polio (Td/IPV) and Meningitis ACWY (MenACWY) Vaccinations – offered during school year 9.
Between January and July young people in year 9 will be offered a Diphtheria, Tetanus and Polio booster and a Meningitis ACWY vaccination (two separate injections):
MenACWY vaccination helps to protect your child against four types of meningococcal bacteria (groups A, C, W and Y) that can cause meningitis (inflammation of the lining of the brain) and septicaemia (blood poisoning).
These diseases are very serious and can kill, especially if not diagnosed early. If you would like more details, please visit the nhs.uk website where you can find information about the disease, vaccine and any expected side effects that may occur afterwards.
The Td/IPV vaccine also known as the teenage booster or the 3-in-1 vaccine, is given as a single injection into the upper arm to boost your child’s protection against three separate diseases: tetanus, diphtheria and polio.
This web link gives information about the diseases, vaccine and any expected side effects that may occur afterwards.
The two vaccinations (Td/IPV & MenACWY) are given together, one in each arm.
Read this leaflet (Immunisations for Young People – your questions answered) or further information about the Tetanus, Diphtheria and Polio (Td/IPV) and Meningitis ACWY (MenACWY) Vaccinations.
Patient information leaflets for the Diphtheria, Tetanus and Polio
Measles, Mumps and Rubella vaccination (MMR)
The MMR vaccination is used to protect against Measles, Mumps and Rubella. It is a combined vaccination which is a 2-dose course.
Measles, Mumps and Rubella are spread through coughs and sneezes or through close contact with an infected person. Symptoms from these illnesses can last from 7-14 days.
They can be very serious illnesses for some people leading to hospitalisation and long-term complications.
If your child has not previously had a combined MMR vaccine you may be contacted by the School age immunisation team to be offered an MMR vaccination alternatively if your child has had no MMR vaccinations or only had one dose you can contact your GP to arrange to catch up doses.
If your child has already had one dose when they were younger, they will only need one further dose to complete the course.
View the Measles, Mumps, Rubella Vaccination leaflet.
Contact details
Warrington School-aged Immunisation Team
Health services @ Birchwood
Spencer House
81a Dewhurst Road
Birchwood
Warrington
WA3 7PG
Telephone: 01925 946808
Email: bchft.warringtonimmsteam@nhs.net
Halton School-aged Immunisation Team
The Bridges Learning Centre
7-9 Crow Wood Lane
Widnes
WA8 3NA
Telephone: 0151 495 5066
Email: BCHFT.haltonimmsteam@nhs.net
Patient Services
0800 587 0562
Open 9am – 5pm, Monday to Friday
bchft.patientservices@nhs.net
Patient Services (formerly PALS) is a confidential information and advice service for patients, relatives and carers.