Agenda item

To receive the report of Dudu Sher-Arami, Director of Public Health.

Glenn Stewart, Consultant in Public Health, introduced the report of the Executive Director – People / Director of Public Health, in respect of the uptake of maternity and childhood immunisations in Enfield and partnership work with the local authority and NHS being undertaken to improve the uptake.

The target uptake for immunisations worldwide was 95%. There was a lower uptake of maternity and childhood immunisations across the UK and especially in London, including Enfield. There were numerous reasons behind the lower vaccination uptake in Enfield, not all of them fully understood. A lot of work was being undertaken to raise the uptake and to rectify the high variation in uptake across Enfield. Future activity would include special focus on increasing uptake of MMR, and winter planning including for flu.

Questions were invited from Members.

In response to queries around engagement and linking with the voluntary and community sector in Enfield, it was confirmed that engagement was done at community events all the time. There had been work with schools and with faith centres, and the process was continuous. Dr Chowdhury advised that Angel Surgery had Turkish and Polish speakers, and employed a staff member just to call parents about childhood immunisations. In conjunction with North Middlesex University Hospital, ten schools had been identified for prioritisation and proactive offers for MMR alongside flu vaccinations. Work was being done involving midwives at University College London Hospital, who played a primary role in respect of messaging and immunisation support.

In response to questions about the HPV vaccinations, it was confirmed the in-school offer was now eligible for boys and girls and that from the autumn this would require one dose rather than two. For those girls who missed out on vaccination at age 12 / 13 there would be a catch up project in the new year and this vaccination was available from the NHS up to the age of 25.

Post Meeting Note:  All information is detailed on the NHS website – see link below.

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/hpv-human-papillomavirus-vaccine/

The good vaccination uptake during the Covid-19 pandemic was referenced, with the concerted effort and national messaging and support, and the effect of the immediate threat felt by people. NHS colleagues considered that a national effort was needed again now. They were experiencing more vaccine hesitancy and circulation of misinformation. In preparedness for the winter and anticipation of a potential measles outbreak, increased capacity for delivery of vaccinations was being planned.

Further details were provided to Members in respect of the low vaccination uptake by Gypsy / Irish Traveller ethnicity. It was difficult to put together accurate data for this group who often did not register with GPs, but an anti-vax sentiment was noted during the Covid-19 pandemic. There was some settled community in Enfield, but interaction was limited.

The Chair thanked everyone for the information, and the forthcoming communications should also be shown on the Council’s social media.

The Panel AGREED to support the following actions:

· Write to central government to request that increased access is made to vaccination for children through pharmacies, hospital ED departments, outpatient clinics and other health care settings ensuring that all health services share responsibility for increasing immunisation.

· Consider contacting the Shadow Health Secretary to lobby government to focus on improving vaccination uptake by

o Tackling misinformation

o Improving NHS systems to collect data

o Making it easier for residents to see what immunisations they’ve received e.g. through NHS App.

o Providing additional resources to engage with communities with low vaccine uptake.

ACTION:  To be progressed by Cllr Alev Cazimoglu, Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care, via a Motion to Council on 27 September 2023. Any other Member was also welcome to write to central government.

Post Meeting Note: The Motion (No. 14.14) in the name of Councillor Alev Cazimoglu was agreed by Council on 27 September 2023.