Immunisation

Children are entitled to certain vaccinations free of charge. These are provided by GPs, hospitals and health clinics or schools. Parental consent is required for children up to the age of 16. Vaccinations are not compulsory but they are strongly recommended to protect your baby from a range of potentially harmful illnesses.

Your baby will be offered a BCG vaccination at birth, which protects against Tuberculosis (TB). At two months you will receive a reminder to bring your baby to your GP for his first set of injections. These two injections provide vaccinations for Diphtheria, Tetanus, Whooping cough, Hib (haemophilus influenzae B), Polio (inactivated poliomyelitis), Hepatitis B and PCV (pneumococcal vaccine).

At four months and at six months you will repeat these GP visits for booster vaccinations and to complete the infant vaccination programme.

After your child is one, Measles, Mumps and Rubella vaccine (known as MMR) and PCV (pneumococcal vaccine) are offered. At 13 months two injections of Meningococcal C and Hib are usually scheduled. Then there is a gap until four to five years, when two injections are given at school, except for some counties where they are given at your GP’s surgery. These injections are for the Diphtheria, Tetanus, Whooping cough, Polio, Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR).

Last but not least, between 11 and 14 years there is one last injection at school for Tetanus and Diphtheria.

If you have any questions about the vaccination programme do discuss them with your GP or PHN.