Childhood Vaccination Programme

Vaccines provide an effective way to protect infants, children and the wider population from infectious diseases that would otherwise be common in childhood. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) is an independent scientific body that advises UK health departments on national programmes. The Department of Health regularly amends the routine immunisation schedule in response to changing patterns of disease and the development of new vaccines. This brief discusses vaccines currently offered, changes to the schedule and a recent recommendation by the JCVI to introduce a new meningococcal B vaccine.