The Chief Medical Officer at the Department of Health (DH) has written to colleagues within the NHS to provide details of the recommended influenza immunisation programme for 2012/13.
The letter notes that the last flu season saw low rates of flu. It also recognises that the virus is unpredictable and that we must avoid complacency and strive for even higher vaccination rates this year.
The letter also contains several Annexes that cover the following areas:
- Groups recommended to receive flu vaccine
- GP practice checklist
- Pregnant women
- Health and social care workers
- Improving uptake and data collections
- Vaccine virus strains and available vaccines
- Vaccine supply and strategic reserve
- Contractual arrangements, service reviews and funding
Vaccine uptake aspirations are also set as:
- reaching or exceeding 75% uptake for people aged 65 years and over
- reaching or exceeding 70% uptake for people under 65 years in clinical risk groups, including pregnant women
The DH has also published a Seasonal flu plan that contains greater detail and also a section on increasing vaccine uptake among clinical risk groups.
Action: Clinicians should be aware of the target vaccination groups and the uptake aspirations.