Page last updated: 18-DEC-2008

Immunisations


Statistical Publication Notice

18 December 2007

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Childhood immunisation uptake rates for quarter ending 30 September 2007 and report on uptake of the Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV) catch up programme.


INTRODUCTION

Children in Scotland are protected through immunisation against many serious infectious diseases. Vaccination programmes aim both to protect the individual and to prevent the spread of these illnesses within the population. As a public health measure, immunisations have been hugely effective in reducing the burden of disease. It is of public health concern when immunisation rates fall, as this increases the possibility of disease transmission, and hence complications arising from outbreaks of infectious diseases.
 
The national target for immunisation uptake is 95% among children by 24 months of age for completed courses of the childhood immunisations: diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), polio, haemophilus influenzae type b (hib), MenC, Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV) and measles, mumps and rubella (MMR). A national target of 95% uptake of one dose of MMR vaccine (MMR1) at 5 years was introduced in 2006 to focus efforts to reduce the number of susceptibles entering primary school.  This is in line with the World Health Organisation target for MMR.
 
Childhood immunisation uptake rates for Scotland are monitored and published quarterly.  This release includes data to 30 September 2007 and a report on uptake of the Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV) catch up programme, which started on 4 September 2006.

KEY POINTS

In Scotland as a whole, the 95% target for immunisation of 2 year olds is being met and exceeded for all immunisations apart from the first dose of MMR (MMR1) where the uptake is 91.7%. 
 
For the July-September quarter of 2007, uptake of the first dose of MMR (MMR1) for 5 year olds has increased to 94.9%, just below the World Health Organisation (WHO) target of 95%.
 
Of the children involved in the PCV catch up programme, which started on 4 September 2006, 86.1% have completed vaccination appropriate to their age.  PCV uptake at 12 months for children offered the vaccine as part of the routine childhood immunisation schedule is 96.0%.

INTERPRETATION

In Scotland uptake rates for the childhood booster vaccines (diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis and polio, and the second dose of MMR (MMR2)), have historically been reported at 6 years of age.  In line with figures for the rest of the UK, from quarter ending December 2006, uptake rates for these vaccines are now reported at age 5.  For trend purposes, reporting at 6 years of age will continue to be presented.

For details of Scotland's routine childhood immunisation timetable see Immunisation Schedule.

DETAILED FINDINGS

For the quarter ending 30 September 2007, at Scotland level:
 
  1. Uptake rates at 12 months of age for diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, Hib and MenC remain above 95%. 
  2. PCV was introduced to the routine immunisation schedule on 4 September 2006.  PCV uptake at 12 months for children offered the vaccine as part of the routine schedule is reported for the first time this quarter, and is high at 96.0%.
  3. Uptake rates at 24 months of age for diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, Hib and MenC have remained relatively stable at around 98%. 
  4. Uptake of one dose of MMR (MMR1) at 24 months for children born in the 3rd quarter of 2005 is 91.7%.  This is a decrease of 0.6 percentage points on the previous quarter when the rate was 92.3% (children born 2nd quarter of 2005).  From the 4th quarter of 2006 there has been fall of 1.1 percentage points in MMR1 uptake at 24 months from 92.8% to 91.7%.  This followed a general trend of rises in uptake from 85.8% in the 2nd quarter of 2003 to 92.8% in the 4th quarter of 2006.  The recent fall may be due to a short-term lack of availability of vaccine appointments due to demand generated by the pneumococcal catch up programme.
  5. Quarterly uptake of one dose of MMR (MMR1) at 5 years has increased from 94.4% to 94.9%, just below the World Health Organisation (WHO) target of 95%.  Six NHS Boards exceeded the WHO target (excluding Island Boards).  At 24 months the reported uptake for this cohort of children was 88.2% showing that a significant number of children are immunised beyond the standard age.
  6. Uptake of the second dose of MMR (MMR2) at 5 years for children born in the 3rd quarter of 2002 is 85.7%.  This is an increase of 6.7 percentage points from the previous quarter when the rate was 79.0% (children born 2nd quarter of 2002).  Other pre-school booster vaccines experienced a similar rise (from 82.7% to 89.4%).  This may be due, in part, to reducing the age of first invitation for MMR2 and pre-school booster vaccines in some boards and may partly be a rebound from the previous quarter’s figures which were more affected by lack of availability of vaccine appointments.

PCV catch up programme uptake:

 
Of the 100,226 children involved in the catch up programme, which started on 4 September 2006, 86.1% (86,277) have completed vaccination appropriate to their age.  There is variation in uptake across NHS Boards ranging from 80.8% in NHS Highland to 89.3% in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (excluding Island Boards).
 

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MAIN CONTACTS:

Judith Tait
Child Health Information Team Leader
Tel: 0131 275 6833
Judith.Tait@isd.csa.scot.nhs.uk

Dr Jim Chalmers (Consultant in Public Health Medicine)
Head of Programme
Women & Children's Health Information Programme
Tel: 0131 275 6136
Jim.Chalmers@isd.csa.scot.nhs.uk

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GLOSSARY:

MMR - Measles, Mumps, Rubella
Pertussis - Whooping cough
Hib - Haemophilus influenzae type b
MenC - Meningitis C
PCV - Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine
 
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PRE-RELEASE ACCESS TO THIS PUBLICATION WAS GIVEN TO:

Scottish Government Health Directorates
Health Protection Scotland
NHS Board Immunisation Co-ordinators and admin/IT staff for quality assurance purposes
Chairs of the Child Health Surveillance Programme National User Groups
NHS Board Chief Executives
 
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HISTORY OF THIS PUBLICATION:

Last Published: 25/09/07
Next Due:  25/03/08
Data Avaliable Since: March 1995


Main contact: Email Judith Tait