Public Health

RCGP welcomes Government childhood vaccination strategy

Following the launch of the Government’s childhood vaccination strategy, aimed at tackling falling rates of vaccination among children and young people, chair of the Royal College of GPs (RCGP) has welcomed the system-wide approach put forward.

Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard said: “Vaccinations are simple, easy and highly effective health interventions and in most cases, they protect for life. Across the NHS we are doing a good job of getting this message across to patients, and in the UK we actually have high take-up rates of many vaccinations.

"But we are still suffering from the now entirely debunked MMR scandal of the nineties, and it is potentially disastrous that as a result so many young people are now susceptible to serious, often life-threatening infectious diseases, such as measles, that we could have completely eradicated in this country if this had never happened.

Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard, chair of the Royal College of GPs (RCGP), has welcomed the Government's proposals for a systems-wide approach to tackling falling rates of childhood vaccination

"People who were not vaccinated as children need to understand that it is not too late to have their MMR jab and we would urge them to do so.

"We welcome that the Government is addressing the falling take-up of childhood vaccinations seriously - and are particularly pleased to see that they are involving social media companies in their strategy given the deeply concerning and misleading school of thought, especially prevalent online and across social media, that casts doubt over the safety and effectiveness of vaccines.

"It is not just the responsibility of GPs and other healthcare professionals to combat anti-vaxxer propaganda, everyone has a part to play: health, public health and education bodies; but we also need technology companies to take responsibility and tackle negativity and confusion around vaccination information."