Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effect of moving the immunisation coordinator role from primary care trust into commissioning positions on the availability of immunisation advice to nurse-based practitioners.

Public Health England (PHE) Screening and Immunisation Teams, including immunisation co-ordinators, have been embedded within NHS England area teams since 1 April 2013.

Immunisation advice remains available to health professionals, including nurse-based practitioners, through local PHE Health Protection Teams and Screening and Immunisation Teams within NHS England, who are supported by a national expert advice line. Comprehensive web-based advice including such resources as frequently asked questions, also remain available.

We have not made any specific assessment of the possible effect on the availability of immunisation advice to nurse-based practitioners by PHE in this context.