The Covid-19 vaccine roll-out has been distinctive in many respects from the UK’s routine immunisation programmes, not only in its scale, but also in the infrastructure and resources behind its delivery.
Covid-19 vaccines have been researched, produced and delivered at unprecedented speed, inspiring a new-found agility and collaborative ways of work across public health systems. The success in the development and roll-out of the vaccines here in the UK and abroad has played a key part in demonstrating and promoting the value of vaccinations among policy-makers and the public, and facilitating public engagement – as trial participants, volunteers in clinics, or champions of the vaccination.
However, there is still uncertainty about how much of this innovation will be maintained and applied across the routine vaccination programmes. In the absence of sharing learning, there is a risk for the system to default to old ways of working – there are concerns across the system that partnerships could break down, community engagement efforts come to an end, and resources dry up.
RSPH, with the support of MSD, held a roundtable in July 2021 to identify key learnings which should be mainstreamed across routine immunisation programmes in the UK. The roundtable brought together academic experts and professionals leading on the commissioning and delivery of vaccinations.
Key recommendations:
- Implement a data strategy to identify and address inequalities in coverage across the
- immunisation schedule.
- Encourage local collaboration by instilling a single register for patients which can be shared across healthcare providers and commissioning GP practices and community
- pharmacies to deliver immunisations under the same contract.
- Involve local communities in the design and delivery of public health programmes, for example Local systems should continue working with community champions to improve uptake rates for other immunisation programmes
- Maintain independent academic advice on vaccinations
- Increase access to vaccinations through expanding vaccinator workforce at times of high pressure, and utilising opportunities for on-the-spot vaccinations
- Maximise the learning opportunity of the Covid-19 vaccine roll-out by funding evaluation and collating learning across organisations that contributed to the vaccination programme, including local authorities, charities, professional bodies, and community organisations.