NHS Immunisation Statistics - England, 2011-12

• Reported coverage figures for all routine childhood vaccinations reported through the COVER programme in 2011-12 showed an increase at national level. Most regions also reported increases in coverage for each of the routine childhood vaccinations measured at one, two and five years. Although coverage in London remains lower than in other regions, London reported increases in coverage for all routine childhood vaccinations in 2011-12.
• In 2011-12, PCTs reported that 94.7 per cent of children reaching their first birthday had completed primary immunisation courses against Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis, Polio and Haemophilus influenza type b (DTaP/IPV/Hib). This compares with 94.2 per cent in 2010-11.
• Figures reported by PCTs show that coverage of Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine in England for children reaching their second birthday was 91.2 per cent in 2011-12 compared to 89.1 per cent in 2010-11. This is the first time that coverage has exceeded 90 per cent since 1997-98. Despite increases in recent years, MMR coverage is still below the World Health Organization target of 'at least 95 per cent coverage'.
• National coverage of the Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV) booster at 24 months also exceeded 90 per cent for the first time in 2011-12. PCTs reported that in 2011-12, 91.5 per cent of children in England had received the PCV booster as measured at 24 months. This compares with 89.3 per cent in 2010-11.
• In 2011-12, vaccination coverage in England was, in most cases, below that of other UK countries.
• Coverage data for the combined Haemophilus influenza type b and Meningococcal group C (Hib/MenC) booster vaccination at 5 years are available for the first time this year and reported as experimental statistics. PCTs reported that in 2011-12, 88.9 per cent of children in England had received the combined Hib/MenC booster as measured at five years.

October 2013: The Health and Social Care Information Centre has recently undertaken a review of the KC50 data collection which collects information on persons receiving BCG vaccinations for tuberculosis and on reinforcing doses of diphtheria, tetanus and polio (Td/IPV) given to school leavers. Data from this collection are usually published in NHS Immunisation Statistics, England. The review was undertaken to examine future information needs and following data supply and quality issues with the collection over a period of years.

The findings of the review have been considered by PHE which is now proposing the evaluation of Td/IPV coverage as part of a new annual adolescent immunisation data collection. Under this proposal, data on BCG vaccinations would be incorporated into the current COVER (Collection of Vaccination Evaluated Rapidly).

The HSCIC will undertake a formal consultation with users once the impact of potential changes to existing data collections on NHS Immunisation Statistics is clear. In the meantime the KC50 collection will continue to be suspended.