Immunisation services

Our Community Immunisation Team is dedicated to administering school aged immunisations to all children across Gateshead, South Tyneside and Sunderland.

The team engages with over 215 primary schools and over 67 secondary schools as well as accessing independent schools, special educational needs schools, alternative education provisions and supporting young people who are home educated or not in education. The Team comprises of highly skilled professionals and support staff who are experienced in giving vaccinations in accordance with the NHS routine national immunisation schedule.

Immunisation information

It is important to protect our children and young people against a number of dangerous infectious diseases. The national immunisation programme means that diseases like polio have disappeared in the UK; this is only possible by maintaining high vaccination rates for children and young people across our local communities.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) states ‘the 2 public health interventions that have had the greatest impact on the world’s health are clean water and vaccines’.

This Immunisations for Young People Guide outlines and explains these vaccinations and why they are needed.

This vaccine checklist explains what is routinely offered to everyone in the UK on the NHS and the ages at which they should ideally be given.

The service currently offers the following immunisation programmes:

• School leavers booster of Diphtheria, Tetanus and Polio (Td/IPV) and Meningococcal ACWY which is given between 13-18 years of age
• Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine which is given to girls only in Year 8 to protect against cervical cancer, if your daughter is in years above year 8 and has not received her HPV, please contact the Team
• Seasonal flu nasal spray is offered to all primary school children from Reception to Year 6. You may find the following information about why you should protect your child from flu useful.
• Protecting your child against flu (leaflet)
• 5 reasons to protect your child from Flu (poster)

We also provide advice, support and information to children, young people, parents, carers and schools regarding school based immunisations and the services we provide.

The Community Immunisation Team will work within Local Safeguarding Children’s Board guidelines to safeguard children.