About our school age immunisation service

The Enfield School Aged Immunisation Team delivers the school aged vaccination programme for the borough of Enfield. We work with primary and secondary schools within the borough including special schools, Looked after Children (LAC), Pupil Referral Units (PRU), private schools and home educated children. For pupils that are absent or miss their vaccination in school, catch-up clinics run after school, at weekends and in school holidays at Baytree House, Christchurch Close, Enfield EN2 6NZ..

If your child missed a planned vaccination session, we will reschedule this as soon as we can. GPs may not be commissioned to administer some school aged vaccinations, so please contact the immunisation team with any queries.

We offer the flu vaccination to all primary school aged children and all children up to the age of 18 in special needs schools. In Year 8, we offer the HPV vaccination to all young people and the opportunity to catch up their MMR vaccines if missed in childhood. In Year 9, all young people are offered the DTP (their 5th booster of Diphtheria, Tetanus and Polio) and Meningitis ACWY.

For young people who are educated at home, or elsewhere, please contact us on the below contact details to arrange to have your vaccination in a clinic setting.

Please refer to this link as to why vaccinations are so important for young people and adults: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/why-vaccination-is-safe-and-important.

The Vaccine Knowledge Project is a reliable and trusted source of information. It is an independent organisation run by academics, providing up to date evidence-based information about vaccines and infectious diseases. It is a useful tool to help parents navigate the complex world of vaccines, and helps to support informed decision-making.

Coronavirus update

If your child missed a planned vaccination session when schools were closed, we will reschedule this as soon as we can. GPs may not be commissioned to administer some school aged vaccinations, so please contact the immunisation team with any queries.

Please note that due to COVID-19 Pandemic the team would like to reassure you that all precautions are being taken as per the national guidelines. All nursing staff will be wearing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to ensure children are safe from COVID-19 while getting vaccinated.

How our service works

We are a team of qualified nurses and administration staff. We collaborate and liaise with the schools to deliver consent forms and arrange dates to schedule immunisation sessions. We would be grateful if you could return the consent form, even if you prefer your child not to be vaccinated. Please click on the links below for copies of our current School Aged Immunisation letters, leaflets and consent forms.

Consent

Please note that whilst parental consent is respected, the decision to participate is legally that of your child, so long as he or she understands the issues in what the procedure involves. This means that if you refuse, the vaccination may still be given if your child wishes to have it. Similarly, if you consent on behalf of your child and they refuse the vaccination, it will not be given.

Flu vaccination

Live attenuated Influenza Vaccine (LAIV) – Nasal spray

Click on this link for more information: https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/3296/smpc#EXCIPIENTS

List of contents

  • Sucrose
  • Dipotassium phosphate
  • Potassium dihydrogen phosphate
  • Gelatine (porcine, Type A)
  • Arginine hydrochloride
  • Monosodium glutamate monohydrate
  • Water for injections

The children's flu vaccine is offered as a yearly nasal spray to children and young people to help protect them against flu. Your child will be invited to have a flu vaccination at school. If your child does not currently attend school, they will be invited to an alternative local community venue.

Flu can be a very unpleasant illness for children, with potentially serious complications, including bronchitis and pneumonia. Vaccinating your child will help protect them from getting the flu and prevent it spreading among vulnerable family members and friends. With COVID-19 in circulation, it is now more important than ever to protect people from getting ill with flu this winter and to protect the NHS.

For further information, please see this link: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/child-flu-vaccine

Video link for flu: https://www.nhs.uk/video/Pages/flu-heroes-nasal-flu-spray-for-kids.aspx

HPV vaccination

Girls and boys aged 12 to 13 years are offered the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine as part of the NHS vaccination program.

The HPV vaccine helps protect against cancers caused by high risk strains of HPV, including:

  • Cervical cancer
  • Some mouth and throat (head and neck) cancers
  • Some cancers of the anal and genital areas

It also helps protect against low risk strains which cause genital warts.

In England, girls and boys aged 12 to 13 years are routinely offered the 1st HPV vaccination when they're in school Year 8. The 2nd dose is offered 6 to 24 months after the 1st dose.

It's important to have both doses of the vaccine to be properly protected.

If you're eligible and missed the HPV vaccine in school Year 8, you can have it free on the NHS up until your 25th birthday.

What is HPV?

HPV is the name given to a very common group of viruses.

There are many types of HPV, some of which are called "high risk" because they're linked to the development of cancers, such as cervical cancer, anal cancer, genital cancers, and cancers of the head and neck.

Other types can cause conditions like genital warts.

High risk types of HPV can be found in more than 99% of cervical cancers.

There is an association between HPV and some of the anal and genital cancers, and cancers of the head and neck.

HPV infections do not usually cause any symptoms, and most people will not know they're infected, most of the time the body clears the infection within 2 years of coming into contact with the virus, but when it doesn’t it can lead to compilations.

The best way to be protected from HPV is to receive the vaccination early in life, before people become sexually active, that is why the vaccination is offered routinely in schools from the age of 12.

Click on this link for more information on HPV and the HPV vaccination: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/hpv-human-papillomavirus-vaccine/

List of contents

  • Sodium chloride
  • L-histidine
  • Polysorbate 80
  • Sodium borate
  • Water for injections
  • adsorbed on amorphous aluminium hydroxyphosphate sulphate adjuvant (0.225 milligrams Al).

Click on this link for more information: https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/261/smpc#EXCIPIENTS

 

 

Measles, mumps and rubella vaccination

Measles, Mumps and Rubella

Click on this link for more information: https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/1159/smpc#EXCIPIENTS

List of contents

  • Powder:
    • Water for injections
  • Solvent:
    • Water for injections
    • Amino acids
    • Lactose (anhydrous)
    • Mannitol
    • Sorbitol

MMR is a safe and effective combined vaccine that protects against 3 serious diseases – measles, mumps and rubella (German measles) – in a single injection. The full course of MMR vaccination requires 2 doses to achieve an optimal immune response. These vaccinations are normally given before primary school.

Measles, mumps and rubella are highly infectious conditions that can have serious, potentially fatal complications, including meningitis, swelling of the brain (encephalitis) and deafness.

Video link of a paediatrician discussing the impact of measles on children: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7wagsmhMao

Teenagers and MMR

The MMR vaccination is offered to 12 and 13 year olds in year 8 as part of the catch up Immunisation Programme.

If they missed any doses of MMR vaccine when they were younger, they can be given 2 doses of MMR vaccine in school. Your child will be invited to have the vaccination at school; if your child does not currently attend school, they will be invited to an alternative local community venue.

It's especially important for teenagers leaving home for college to be up to date with the MMR vaccine, as they are at higher risk of mumps.

Diphtheria, tetanus and poliomyelitis (DTP) vaccination

Diphtheria, Tetanus and Poliomyelitis 

Click on this link for more information: https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/medicine/15259#EXCIPIENTS

List of contents

  • Phenoxyethanol
  • Ethanol anhydrous
  • Formaldehyde
  • Acetic acid and/or sodium hydroxide (for pH adjustment)
  • Medium 199*
  • Water for injections

* Medium 199 is a complex medium of amino acids including phenylalanine, mineral salts, vitamins, polysorbate 80, hydrochloric acid and/or sodium hydroxide (for pH adjustment) and other substances diluted in water for injections.

Diphtheria is a highly contagious and potentially fatal infection that can affect the nose and throat, and sometimes the skin. It's rare in the UK but there's a small risk of catching it while travelling in some parts of the world.

Tetanus is a serious but rare condition caused by bacteria getting into a wound. If the bacteria enter the body through a wound, they can quickly multiply and release a toxin that affects the nerves, causing symptoms such as muscle stiffness and spasms.

The Polio virus attacks the nerves in the spine and base of the brain. This can cause paralysis, usually in the legs, that develops over hours or days. The paralysis isn't usually permanent, and movement will often slowly return over the next few weeks and months.

The teenage booster, also known as the 3-in-1 or the Td/IPV vaccine, is given to boost protection against 3 separate diseases: tetanus, diphtheria and polio. It's a single injection given into the muscle of the upper arm. It's routinely given at secondary school (in school Year 9) at the same time as the Men ACWY vaccine. Your child will be invited to have the vaccination at school; if your child does not currently attend school, they will be invited to an alternative local community venue.

Men ACWY vaccination

Meningococcal groups A, C, W-135 and Y

Click on this link for more information: https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/4118/smpc#EXCIPIENTS

List of contents

  • Powder:
    • Sucrose
    • Trometamol
  • Solvent:
    • Sodium chloride
    • Water for injections

Meningitis is an infection of the protective membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord (meninges). It can affect anyone, but is most common in babies, young children, teenagers and young adults. Meningitis can be very serious if not treated quickly. It can cause life-threatening blood poisoning (septicaemia) and result in permanent damage to the brain or nerves. It's a single injection given into the muscle of the upper arm. It's routinely given at secondary school (in school Year 9) at the same time as the DTP vaccine. Your child will be invited to have the vaccination at school; if your child does not currently attend school, they will be invited to an alternative local community venue.

All information is taken from the NHS Choices website. For more information please see: https://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/vaccinations