Milton Keynes Hospital to offer flu vaccine to children attending outpatient appointments

“Until now, hospital doctors have had to advise children and parents to get their flu vaccinations from their GP.  Understandably, some busy parents don’t always follow up on this advice,” said hospital chief executive, professor Joe Harrison.

The initiative is the result of collaboration between Milton Keynes University Hospital and Oxford Academic Health Science Children’s Network.  The aim is to increase immunisation rates in two to four year-olds and children in clinical risk groups.

“The project will run until the end of March with results shared via NHS England at a national event to be arranged by the NHS Flu Immunisation Programme.

“We hope that by making it easy for children to get the vaccine while at the hospital, we will see a significant improvement in uptake rates.  This will help to prevent the spread of flu in children, their families and the wider community” added Mr Harrison.