Influenza - Vaccinations

Vaccination uptake

These pages contain information on the seasonal influenza vaccination campaign that has been run routinely in Scotland for many years. Additionally, information on the H1N1 vaccination campaign in 2009/10 can be found in separate H1N1 vaccination  pages.
Influenza vaccine uptake in Scotland can be estimated from the number of vaccines administered in each general medical practice.  To claim payments for vaccinations, GPs are required to return a count of all patients vaccinated to the Practitioner Services Division (PSD) of NHS National Services Scotland. For patients aged over 65, this allows a calculation of the uptake rate across all practices submitting claims for payment.  A large majority of practices across Scotland (91.5% for 2009/10) are included in these calculations but not all; for example in NHS Board-run practices, such claims for payment are not submitted to PSD.  Information is not collected centrally on the administration of vaccines in hospitals or through occupational health schemes.
An improved awareness campaign regarding the availability and potential benefits of influenza vaccination has probably been a major contributory factor to the increase in uptake since 1999. GP practices are encouraged to ensure that patients on their list who are regarded as 'priority cases' are vaccinated. Promotional information for patients is also available, for example at www.infoscotland.com/flu

Uptake in older people aged 65 and over
A Scotland wide target to vaccinate 60% of all patients aged 65 and over was set by the Scottish Government for 2000/01. This target was raised to 65% for 2001/02 and to 70% in 2002/03, and will be raised to 75% for the 2010/11 season. Recorded uptake rates for seasonal flu vaccination for 2000/01 to 2009/10 were 65.9%, 64.9%, 68.9%, 72.5%, 71.7%, 77.8%, 75.2%, 74.1%, 76.3% and 75.0%, respectively, of the target population (patients aged 65 and over). The uptake rate for influenza vaccine amongst those 65 and over was highest in the 2005/06 season, which may be related to fears about the risk of highly pathogenic avian influenza to humans from wild birds and poultry. Despite fairly mild winters and relatively little media attention around flu issues in the following three seasons (prior to the emergence in Spring 2009 of the H1N1 or "swine flu" virus), the target uptake in patients aged 65 and over was more than met. The slight drop in 2009/2010 may be due to some patients receiving an H1N1 vaccination but choosing to miss out on the seasonal flu vaccination (H1N1 vaccination was a separate, additional process to the usual seasonal vaccination programme).

Percentage of those aged 65 and over who received a seasonal flu vaccination¹
2000/01 to 2009/10² (note truncated Y axis)

Note: 
1. These figures refer to uptake of trivalent (seasonal) flu vaccinations only and do not include the separate vaccinations for the H1N1 strain of influenza ("swine flu") prevalent in 2009/10.
 2. Due to issues regarding implementation of the new General Medical Services (GMS) contract in NHS Highland the 2004/05 uptake figures exclude data from this Board
Source: Practitioner Services Division, NHS National Services Scotland.

Uptake in patients aged under 65
From the 2004/05 season onwards, GPs have been asked to provide an estimate of influenza vaccination uptake for those under the age of 65 in high-risk groups (who are at higher risk of developing complications). The uptake target was set by the Scottish Government to 60% of the people in clinical high-risk groups.  For the 2006/07 season, Health Protection Scotland (HPS) estimated that vaccine uptake in general practice among patients aged under 65 and across all high-risk chronic disease groups was around 38% overall.  In 2007/08 the overall under 65 at-risk uptake estimate rose to 44%.  For the 2008/09 season, HPS estimated that approximately 48.5% of patients under the age of 65 in high-risk groups were vaccinated, varying over chronic disease groups from 38% (chronic liver disease) to 64% (diabetes).  In the most recent season (2009/10) the uptake was estimated to be 53.4%. This was the first time that the uptake figure for under 65s at-risk was over 50%. The reliability of these uptake figures has probably increased over the four years. This is firstly, because the number of practices contributing data has increased (from roughly 60% in 2006/07, 67% in 2007/08 to around 90% in 2008/09 & 96% in 2009/10). Secondly, the uptake figures are no longer derived only from the results of a questionnaire at the end of January, but also include information from practices participating in PIPeR (see under "Surveillance ") available up to the beginning of April and hence covering a longer time period.

                                                                                                                                         

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Related influenza information:
Introduction
Influenza - GP Consultations
Influenza - Vaccinations
      - General information       
      - Vaccination uptake
      - Monthly vaccines dispensed
      - Annual vaccines dispensed
      - PTI vaccination contacts - all ages
      - PTI vaccination contacts - 65 years and over
      - H1N1 vaccination
Influenza - Surveillance