'After clean water, vaccination is the most effective public health intervention in the world for saving lives and promoting good health.'
In Guernsey, children are offered the Routine Immunisation Schedule as is delivered across the UK. You can view the routine schedule here Routine Immunisation Schedule
In Guernsey, Health Visitors, School Nurses and Nurses who work in GP surgeries receive special training in the giving of vaccines. They are knowledgeable about vaccines and can answer any questions you have and talk through any concerns.
All routine immunisations are paid for by Health and Social Care.
Baby and 1 Year Vaccination
- In Guernsey, all immunisations given to babies and one year old children are offered by your GP surgery.
- Your Health Visitor can answer any questions or discuss any worries you have about giving your baby vaccines.
- You can find out more about the vaccines offered to babies and children at 1 year in the leaflets A Guide to Immunisation for babies up to 13 months of age and A Guide to immunisation at one year of age
Nasal Flu Vaccine for Pre-school Children
- Children aged 2, 3 and 4 years (but not yet at school) are eligible for the Nasal Flu Spray Vaccine from the GP surgery during the Autumn / Early Winter.
- Appointments can be obtained by calling your surgery.
- You can read more about this vaccine in the following leaflets:
- If your child is aged between 6 months and 2 years and has a long term health condition that makes them at higher risk from Flu, they will be offered a Flu Vaccine injection by your GP surgery. Please speak with your surgery if you are unsure if your child fits this category.
3 Year 4 Month Booster Immunisations
- The Health Visiting Team offers 2 pre school booster immunisations of Diphtheria, Tetanus, Polio and Whooping cough (DTaP/IPV) and Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) to children from 3 years 4 months of age as recommended by the Routine Schedule.
- The boosters are offered as part of a developmental review appointment to which you will be invited by letter when your child reaches the correct age. There is no charge for this service.
- The nurses administering these immunisations are trained and used to dealing with children of this age. It is understandable for parents and children to feel anxious, but we try our best to ensure that this is done with minimal upset. We do find that children find it less upsetting if they are made aware of what is going to happen. We suggest you tell them they require some medication in their arms before they go to school to make sure that they continue to be healthy. We appreciate that all children are different but most children will be able to understand this.
- It is helpful if children wear clothes that can be easily removed to expose the top of their arms.
- We recommend you read about these vaccines and read the product information before you bring your child to clinic.
- You can read the vaccine product information leaflets here:
- The vaccine we use for MMR is M-M-RVAXPRO® MMR Product Information Leaflet [193kb]
- The vaccine we use for DTaP/IPV is Boostrix-IPV Boostrix-IPV Product Information Leaflet [120kb]
- More information about the vaccines can be found in the leaflet about preschool immunisations here A guide to immunisation for for pre-school (publishing.service.gov.uk)
- You can also see information on the NHS immunisation website here MMR and DTaP/IPV
- If you have any questions about these or any other immunisations please contact us at Lukis House on Tel No: 01481 222011. We will be happy to answer your questions and give advice.
School Based Immunisations
- Immunisations are offered to school age children in Guernsey in schools by the School Nursing Team. Immunisations offered follow the United Kingdom routine immunisation schedule
- You can view the routine schedule in the downloads section.
- All immunisations given in school to school age pupils are free of charge. You will receive information about these immunisations and a consent form to complete when vaccinations are due.They will be given in school by experienced School Nurses who will make sure nervous pupils are as comfortable as possible.
- Please contact the School Nursing Service if you have any questions about immunisations. If you know your child has missed some immunisations, please call and we can help arrange for your child to receive these.
- School Nurses offer immunisation catch-up clinics at Lukis House. Please contact us by calling 01481 222011 to find out the date of our next clinic.
- School Nurses offer the following routine immunisations:
- Nasal Flu for all primary school children and children in secondary school Years 7, 8,9,10 and 11.
- HPV Year 8 (change in September 2023 to one dose only required).
- Diphtheria, Tetanus and Polio (DTP) and Meningitis ACWY Boosters for all year 9 students.
- You can find out more about the vaccines offered to young people in the leaflets here:
- More information on each specific immunisation can be found in the drop downs below.
Nasal Flu
- Flu can be a very unpleasant illness for children, with potentially serious complications, including Bronchitis and Pneumonia.The Flu vaccine for children is given as a single dose of nasal spray squirted up each nostril. Children need to have this vaccine each year. Not only is it needle-free (a big advantage for children), the nasal spray works even better than the injected flu vaccine with fewer side effects, It's quick and painless and will mean your child is less likely to become ill if they come into contact with the flu virus. The School Nurse Team will be visiting schools in September, October and November to offer this vaccine in schools to all primary school age children and children in Secondary school Years 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11.
- You will receive a letter with the date we are visiting your child's school and a Consent form to return to school. We suggest you read about this vaccine in the following leaflets before signing and returning the Consent form to school.
- Children who have medical conditions which put them at increased risk can be seen at Lukis House before the school session if needed. In addition, catch-up clinics are held at Lukis House if needed. Details of clinics can be obtained by calling Tel No: 01481 222011
HPV for Year 8
- Girls and boys aged 12 to 13 years in school Year 8 are offered the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. The vaccine used is called Gardasil 9. School visits will be made in the Summer Term.
- The HPV vaccine helps protect against cancers caused by 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 genital warts.
- In Guernsey, girls and boys aged 12 to 13 years will be routinely offered the first HPV vaccination when they are in school Year 8.
- From September 2023, most people aged 24 and under, who are eligible for the HPV vaccine, will only need one dose of the vaccine. Find out more about the HPV programme moving to a single dose from September 2023 here: HPV Vaccination Programme moves to single dose from September 2023 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
- You can find out more information on the vaccine in the following publications: (Click to view)
- Leaflets for young people:
- NHS HPV Vaccination Protecting against HPV infection to help reduce your risk of cancer leaflet (we can provide this in a range of languages, please ask us).
- A Guide to Immunisation for Young People Leaflet
- Easy read guide to the HPV vaccination (publishing.service.gov.uk)
- Vaccine product information:
- If you are eligible and miss the HPV vaccine offered in Year 8 at school, it is available until your 25th birthday for:
- girls born after 1 September 1991,
- boys born after 1 September 2006.
- General information:
- Clinics are held at Lukis House if needed. Details of clinics can be obtained by calling Tel No: 01481 222011 or by email childvaccine@gov.gg
Diphtheria, Tetanus and Polio (DTP) and Meningitis ACWY Boosters for Year 9 boys and girls
- All students in year 9 are offered booster injections of Diphtheria, Tetanus and Polio (DTP) and Meningitis ACWY. School Nurses will visit secondary schools in the Spring Term to offer these boosters. These are the final immunisations offered in the routine childhood schedule. You can view the Routine Immunisation Schedule from September 2023.
- You can find out more information on the vaccines in the following publication (click to view) A guide to immunisation for young people (publishing.service.gov.uk) on the NHS Immunisation website here: DTP and Meningitis ACWY
- It is important that you read the product information leaflets for the vaccines before you provide consent. You can find these here: DTP and Meningitis ACWY
- You will receive a letter and a consent form in the post and you will be asked to return this to school by a set date.
- Catch up clinics are held at Lukis House if needed. Details of clinics can be obtained by calling 01481 222011.
- Please contact the School Nursing Team if you require any further help or information. Please use the contact button on the right of this screen to see how you can contact us.
BCG Vaccination
- The BCG vaccine (which stands for Bacillus Calmette-Guérin vaccine) is not given as part of the routine childhood schedule. In Guernsey (as in the UK) it is only given when a child or adult is thought to have an increased risk of coming into contact with TB.
- More information on the BCG vaccine can be found here. NHS Immunisation Website-TB
- You can view the leaflet TB, BCG Vaccine and your baby here. TB, BCG vaccine and your Baby Leaflet. [258kb]
- You can read the Vaccine Product Information here. BCG vaccine product Information [286kb]
- Please contact the Lead Nurse for immunisation at Lukis House to discuss if you believe your child requires a BCG vaccination by calling Tel: 01481 222011.
Providing Consent for Vaccinations
- Who can provide consent for vaccinations?
- Where immunisations are routinely offered in the school setting, consent differs depending on the age and competence of the individual child or young person. In secondary school age children, information leaflets should be available for the young person's own use and to share with their parents prior to the date that the immunisation is scheduled. Where someone aged 16 or 17 years consents to vaccination, a parent cannot override that consent. Young people who understand fully what is involved in the proposed procedure (referred to as 'Gillick competent') can also give consent, although ideally their parents will be involved.
- Legally, where a child lacks capacity to give consent (is not 'Gillick competent') it is only necessary to obtain consent from one person with parental responsibility but the Children (Guernsey and Alderney) Law, 2008 creates an expectation that those responsible for a child's care will consult and co-operate with one another and it is clearly good practice to involve all those close to the child in the decision -making process.
- Who has parental responsibility?
- The person(s) with parental responsibility will usually, but not invariably, be the child's birth parents. People with parental responsibility for a child include:
- the child's parents, if married to each other at the time of birth;
- the child's father, if he has acquired parental responsibility via a Court Order, entry on the Birth Certificate (in Guernsey and Alderney only registration on or after 6 January 2010) a parental responsibility agreement or the couple subsequently marry;
- the child's legally appointed guardian - appointed either by a court or by a parent with parental responsibility in the event of their own death;
- a person in whose favour a court has made a Residence Order concerning the child;
- the Health & Social Care Department under certain legal orders (eg a Community Parenting Order or Care Requirement).
- Foster parents, step parents and grandparents do not automatically have parental responsibility.
