NHS inflexibility is behind falling vaccine uptake

Evie, keen to get her new baby vaccinated, first called her GP when the baby was 2 weeks old. It’s too soon, the receptionist said, phone again at the end of the month. On a Tuesday, when her baby is 6 weeks old, Evie is told the appointment slots haven’t opened, call again on Thursday. Later that same day she gets a text reminder urging her to book her baby in for vaccinations. On Thursday she calls, but the slots are already full. The next week she calls on Wednesday. Her baby is now 8 weeks old, but again the slots haven’t opened. After four phone calls and a written complaint to the practice manager she finally secures an appointment.

Uptake of childhood vaccines in the UK is falling year on year. No vaccines met the 95% coverage target in 2023-24; it has been five years since the last target was met.1 The result last year was a measles outbreak that was declared a national incident.2 By the end of 2024 a surge in pertussis cases had led to the deaths of 11 babies.3 Inequalities in uptake are also growing, with uptake declining more in the most deprived group than in the least.4

So far this year there have been more than 400 laboratory confirmed cases of measles. Often the blame is placed squarely on vaccine hesitancy. Yet the barriers the NHS is putting in the way of parents and carers getting their babies protected may well be the bigger issue, experts warn.

Evie (a pseudonym) was interviewed by Georgia Chisnall, …