Screening and Immunisation Rates
8.35 The measles-mumps-rubella vaccine ( MMR) is a safe and highly effective vaccine that was introduced in 1988 and with a coverage of over 90% between the early 1990s and 1998. However, a fall in uptake was observed from 1997 (down to 81% in 2003/4) as a result of adverse publicity about the vaccine. More recently, in the latter part of 2004 and the first quarter of 2005, the uptake has increased significantly. Within the South West there is wide variation in MMR uptake by Primary Care Trust.
8.36 The incidence of mumps has fallen dramatically since the introduction of MMR vaccine, but in recent years outbreaks have occurred in the cohort of children born in the years immediately before 1984. These children were too old to be offered the MMR vaccine (introduced in 1988) but were susceptible as they had no previous exposure to the virus and therefore did not have natural immunity.
8.37 More recently, the Health Protection Agency has observed cases of measles in traveller communities within the region. Whilst it is encouraging that coverage of MMR vaccination is increasing, regional variation and the occurrence of measles cases in certain groups means that there is a need for uptake rates to increase further to be confident of avoiding outbreaks. Action taken and planned to raise uptake include:
- Work with practices with particularly low uptake
- MMR conferences and training days targeted to health visitors, practice nurses and GPs
- Improvements in information systems in some areas
