Jul. 12 2024
Source Page: Respiratory syncytial virus: the green book, chapter 27aFound: Respiratory syncytial virus: the green book, chapter 27a
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for what reason the respiratory syncytial virus vaccination programme does not include people who are 80 or older.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccination programme for adults turning 75 years old began on 1 September 2024 in England, alongside a one-off catch-up programme to rapidly vaccinate all those already aged 75 to 79 years old. Older adults will remain eligible until the day before their 80th birthday, except for people who turn 80 years old in the first year, who have until 31 August 2025 to get vaccinated.
When a new vaccination programme is introduced, the Government must make difficult decisions on who to offer the vaccine to. These decisions are based on advice the Department receives from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), which includes evidence of the impact a vaccination has in different groups, as well as the capacity of the system to deliver the programme alongside all other healthcare priorities.
The structure of an immunisation programme is dynamic and the JCVI will continue to review the data available on who should be offered an RSV immunisation. It was noted in the JCVI’s advice from June 2023 that ‘an extension to the initial programme would be considered when there is more certainty about protection in the very elderly and the real-world impact of the programme in the 75- to 80-year-olds’. The JCVI’s statement on the introduction of an RSV vaccination programme is available at the following link:
Mentions:
1: Gray, Neil (SNP - Airdrie and Shotts) nature of the demand that they face can shift in the winter months, when we can see an increase in respiratory - Speech Link
2: Gray, Neil (SNP - Airdrie and Shotts) years, has expanded into additional pathways, such as out-patient parenteral antibiotic therapy and respiratory - Speech Link
3: Webber, Sue (Con - Lothian) Cabinet secretary,“Health and social care is a disgrace.” - Speech Link
4: Gray, Neil (SNP - Airdrie and Shotts) put additional pressure on our health and social care services. - Speech Link
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what are the national coverages rates of (1) influenza, and (2) pertussis, vaccination among pregnant women, and what steps they are taking to improve coverage rates for all maternal immunisations, ahead of delivering a new vaccination programme for the respiratory syncytial virus.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) routinely monitors and reviews the vaccination coverage of all the routine immunisation programmes in England. Flu vaccine uptake for pregnant women for the 2023/24 flu season was 31.2%. Pertussis vaccine uptake for pregnant women for 2024, from January to April, was 59.1%.
To improve coverage rates for all maternal immunisations, the UKHSA provides public facing information, including information leaflets in multiple languages and accessible formats. The UKHSA also provides training slides and information resources for healthcare professionals.
Ahead of delivering a new vaccination programme for the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), the UKHSA hosted two RSV webinars for healthcare professionals: the older person RSV vaccine programme; and the maternal RSV programme. Resources are also available for the RSV programme on the Health Publications Website.
Found: Anticipate the topic will be of importance to patients, carers, professionals, commissioners and the health
Mentions:
1: Carlaw, Jackson (Con - Eastwood) ventilation, air filtration and sterilisation; to reintroduce the routine wearing of masks, particularly respiratory - Speech Link
2: Baillie, Jackie (Lab - Dumbarton) They report that they feel that healthcare is unsafe and that action on clean air and the use of respiratory - Speech Link
Jun. 11 2024
Source Page: Surveillance of influenza and other seasonal respiratory viruses in the UK, winter 2023 to 2024Found: Surveillance of influenza and other seasonal respiratory viruses in the UK, winter 2023 to 2024
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for what reason people who turned 80 before 1 September 2024 are not eligible for the RSV vaccine; and whether exceptions can be made.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The policy for the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) programme is based on the advice of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), which is an independent expert advisory committee on vaccination and immunisation. That advice is provided to Government to inform, develop, and make policy.
In the JCVI statement summarising the advice for the RSV programme, the Committee stated that an extension to the initial programme would be considered when there is more certainty about protection provided by the vaccination in the very elderly and evidence of the real-world impact of the programme in the 75 to 80-year-old cohort. The statement is available at the following link:
Following an assessment of specific individual clinical situations, a doctor such as a general practitioner or hospital consultant may choose to prescribe vaccines outside of the national programme, under clinical discretion.
Aug. 23 2024
Source Page: Reappointments to the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council from 1 September 2024Found: Dr Jennifer Hoyle Dr Hoyle is, an independent member with expertise in respiratory diseases.
Aug. 23 2024
Source Page: Reappointments to the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council from 1 September 2024Found: Dr Jennifer Hoyle Dr Hoyle is, an independent member with expertise in respiratory diseases.