Immunisations - Children

The immunisations team delivers all school-age immunisation across south London, in Bexley, Bromley, Kingston, Richmond, Sutton, Merton, Lambeth, Southwark and Wandsworth.

Reasons for providing vaccination in school:

  • School based immunisation help ensure as many children/young people are reached and offered protection as possible.
  • Immunisations protect those in the community (through herd immunity) who are vulnerable, who may not be able to have vaccinations, i.e. new-born babies, elderly and those with a low immunity due to health reasons. 
  • It prevents children/young people missing school or parents/guardians taking time out of work or from busy lives for a vaccination appointment.
  • It prevents children/young people who are well entering a GP surgery.

Our highly trained and friendly immunisations nurses are able to provide support and advice on school age immunisations and will be able to direct you to further information so you and your child can make an informed choice about planned vaccination(s).

There is a language tool in the accessibility toolbar if you would like to view this website in a language other than English. 

Consent (written or verbal) must be obtained before starting any patient care, including the administration of vaccines. The School Age Immunisation team encourages parents and guardians to be involved in their child’s care by discussing the vaccinations with them, and by returning a completed vaccination form to school.

A letter providing vaccine information and the consent form are sent from the school to parents and guardians as the vaccinations are due. In addition, we provide age appropriate information regarding the relevant vaccinations to schools to be shown to children and young people, so that they can understand the vaccine. In secondary schools, our immunisations nurses may attend school to give a presentation on the planned vaccines. 

Consent form

Please see below for consent forms which you can complete to get your child vaccinated at school.

3-in-1 teenage booster and MenACWY 2023/2024 consent forms
HPV 2024 consent forms

Please see below for consent forms which you can complete to get your child vaccinated at school.

Self-consent

Our ultimate aim is to prevent young people getting vaccine-preventable diseases. Therefore, in secondary schools we will invite children to the vaccination room if they have not returned a consent form. This is so we can try to contact the parent or guardian to discuss the vaccine with the young person present. 

In the absence of a signed consent form, and if unable to contact the parent or guardian, we will assess the young person for self-consent. Not all young people will be competent enough to self-consent – it is assessed on an individual basis by an immunisation nurse. The final decision to consent or refuse vaccination is the young person’s choice – we will not give a vaccination where it is not wanted by the young person. 

Children under the age of 16 years can consent to their own treatment if they are believed to have enough intelligence, competence and understanding to fully appreciate what is involved in their treatment. To assess the young person’s ability to self-consent, we use the Fraser Competence guidelines. More details about these guidelines can be found on the NHS website

Consent must be:

  • Voluntary – the decision to either consent or not to consent to treatment must be made by the person themselves, and must not be influenced by pressure from medical staff, friends or family. 
  • Informed – the person must be given all of the information in terms of what the treatment involves, including the benefits and risks, whether there are reasonable alternative treatments, and what will happen if treatment doesn't go ahead. 
  • Capacity – the person must be capable of giving consent, which means they understand the information given to them and they can use it to make an informed decision.
     

We provide the BCG vaccination to babies from birth to 12 months old, living in Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich, Hounslow, Kingston, Merton, Richmond, Sutton and Wandsworth who have a parent or grandparent born in a country where the annual incidence of TB is 40 in 100,000 or greater.

For more information on the BCG vaccination through HRCH, please see our webpage.

For more information on the UK routine vaccination schedule, please see the NHS website

You can also download the following leaflets for more information about vaccinations at various stages of a child’s life:

Please see the tabs at the top to get more information on the vaccinations we offer as part of the School Age Immunisations Service.
 


Contact information

Please contact the team for the borough in which your child attends school. This means the team will be best placed to help you with your enquiry. 

Alternatively, to book a catch-up appointment for your child, please contact:

You can also get information on children's immunisations from you GP or healthcare provider.

MMR website.pngMeasles cases are currently on the rise in the UK, and the best way to ensure protection for your child is to have them vaccinated with the MMR vaccine. 

All children aged 1 to 11 years in London need to be up to date with their childhood vaccination schedule to protect them against a range of preventable diseases. We are contacting the parents of all children whose records identify they are not up to date with their polio or MMR vaccinations.

To book an appointment at one of our upcoming clinics, please call 020 8487 1730 or email HRCH.Immunisationcallcentre@nhs.net. If you cannot make these dates, you can book an appointment for MMR and Polio vaccines through your GP surgery.

 

Kingston

Thursday 28 March, 15:00 – 18:00
Kingston Library, Wheatfield Way, Kingston, KT1 2PS

Please note that these clinics are strictly by appointment only. To make an appointment at these clinics, please call your local team. The phone numbers are listed below. 

 

Bexley

Please call 020 3903 3380 for more information or to book an appointment.

Wednesday 10 April, 10:00 - 14:00
Chislehurst
Thursday 18 April, 14:30 - 16:00
Erith
Thursday 23 May, 14:30 - 16:00
Erith
 

Bromley

Please call 020 3903 3375 for more information or to book an appointment.

Friday 5 April 2024, 09:00 - 14:00
Chislehurst
Tuesday 9 April 2024, 09:00 - 14:00
Chislehurst
Thursday 11 April 2024, 09:00 - 14:00
Chislehurst

 

Kingston

Please call 020 3691 1043 for more information or to book an appointment.

Thursday 4 April, 09:30 - 12:30
Teddington
Saturday 20 April, 09:30 - 12:30
Surbiton
Tuesday 28 May, 09:30 - 12:30
Teddington

 

Lambeth

Please call 020 8614 5495 for more information or to book an appointment.

Tuesday 9 April 2024, 10:00 - 14:00
Stockwell
Wednesday 10 April 2024, 10:00 - 14:00
Stockwell
Thursday 11 April 2024, 10:00 - 14:00
Stockwell

 

Merton

Please call 020 3903 3373 for more information or to book an appointment.

Tuesday 26 March, 15:00 – 17:30
Mitcham
Monday 8 April, 10:00 - 13:00
Mitcham
Tuesday 30 April, 15:00 - 17:30
Mitcham
Wednesday 14 May, 15:00 - 17:30
Mitcham

 

Richmond

Please call 020 3691 1019 for more information or to book an appointment.

Thursday 4 April, 09:30 - 12:30
Teddington
Saturday 20 April, 09:30 - 12:30
Surbiton
Tuesday 28 May, 09:30 - 12:30
Teddington

 

Southwark

Please call 020 8614 5496 for more information or to book an appointment.

Thursday 11 April 2024, 10:00 - 14:30
Waterloo
Friday 12 April 2024, 10:00 - 14:30
Waterloo

 

Sutton

Please call 020 3903 3371 for more information or to book an appointment.

Tuesday 26 March, 15:00 – 17:30
Mitcham
Monday 8 April, 10:00 - 13:00
Mitcham
Tuesday 30 April, 15:00 - 17:30
Mitcham
Wednesday 14 May, 15:00 - 17:30
Mitcham

 

Wandsworth

Please call 020 3093 3374 for more information or to book an appointment.

Wednesday 10 April, 10:00 - 14:00
Wandsworth

The MMR vaccine provides protection against measles, mumps, and rubella (also known as German measles). To be fully protected against these diseases, your child must have two doses of the vaccine.

 

Measles

The virus can be spread very easily by airborne or droplet transmission. Symptoms include a rash, fever, cough and watery eyes. Measles also can cause pneumonia, brain damage, seizures or death.

Mumps

Spread by airborne or droplet transmission causes fever, headaches and swollen salivary glands under the jaw. May develop a mild meningitis. It can also result in permanent hearing loss and serious complications particularly in males.

Rubella

The virus usually causes mild sickness with fever, swollen glands and a rash. If a pregnant woman gets rubella, she can lose her baby, or the baby can be born blind, deaf, or with heart defects or other serious problems.

Polio is a serious infection which can cause long-term or lifelong difficulties. It is spread easily from person to person, usually through contact with the poo of an infected person. To be fully protected against Polio, your child must have four doses of the vaccine. 

By the time a child is 11 years old, they should have received four doses of the polio vaccine and two does of the MMR vaccine, as part of the UK routine immunisations schedule. If young people have not received two doses of the MMR vaccine by the time they reach year 9, they may be offered a dose alongside their other year 9 vaccinations. 

The School Age Immunisations service is offering catch-up appointments for children who are partially vaccinated or may not have received any of these vaccinations.

If you believe your child is not fully vaccinated against either polio or measles, mumps or rubella, you can must book a catch-up appointment. You can do this by either:

 

There are two different MMR vaccines avalaible in the UK. These are called Prioix and MMRVaxPro. To learn more about the ingredients in these vaccines please see the manufacturers guides below:

The main ingredient in both of them is small amounts of weakened measles, mumps, and rubella viruses. The MMRVaxPro vaccine contains a small amount of porcine gelatine to ensure the vaccine remaines safe and effective. If you or your child would prefer to recieve a vaccine that does not contain porcine gelatine, please let the immunisation nurse know. They will be able to give you a porcine-free vaccine.

For more information about the Polio and MMR catch-up programme, please see the NHS website.

For more information about polio and polio vaccines, please see the NHS website.

For more information about the MMR vaccine, please see the NHS website

You can also watch this series of videos, created by the NHS, to explain the importance of the MMR and polio vaccinations. 

You can also download this leaflet (available in a range of languages) for more information on the MMR vaccine.

Your child will be offered the HPV vaccination in year 8, and the 3-in-1 teenage booster and MenACWY vaccine in year 9. This is in addition to the annual flu vaccine. 

If your child has not recieved two doses of the MMR vaccine, they are offered a dose in year 9 alongside their other vaccinations.

HPV vaccine

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the name given to a very common group of viruses. It can be caught from any kind of sexual contact with another person who already has it. There are more than 100 different types of HPV – most are harmless, but some types are linked to increased risk of certain types of cancer, including:

  • Cervical cancer
  • Mouth cancer
  • Anal cancer
  • Penile cancer
  • Some cancers of the head and neck

HPV can also cause genital warts.

Please see the NHS website for more information on HPV

HPV is very common, and as HPV infections do not usually cause any symptoms, often people will not know they’re infected. Most people will become infected with HPV at some point in their lives, and their bodies will get rid of it naturally without treatment. However, in some cases the infection stays in the body for many years, and then, for no apparent reason, starts to cause damage. 

The HPV vaccine protects against nine types of HPV. Types 16 and 18 are the cause of most cervical cancers in the UK (more than 70%) and HPV types 6 and 11 cause around 90% of genital warts. In addition, some of the anal and genital cancers, and cancers of the head and neck, are also caused by HPV infection which the vaccine helps protect.

HPV vaccination does not protect against other sexually transmitted infections, so it is still very important to practice safe sex. For girls, it is still very important to have regular cervical screening (also known as a smear test) from 25 years old, as this helps to detect cell changes. 

The vaccine used is called Gardasil 9. For more information, please see the manufacturers guide.
 

From September 2019, both boys and girls aged 12 to 13 years old (in year 8 at school) will now be routinely offered the HPV vaccination. From September 2023, the number of doses recommended has been reduced from two to one. 

Girls who missed their HPV vaccination in year 8 can continue to have the vaccine up to their 25th birthday. Those who start the HPV vaccination after the age of 15 will need 3 doses to have full protection. Please contact your GP is you are a female between 18 and 24 years old, and would like your HPV vaccine. From 25 years old, you will be invited for cervical screening.

A catch-up program for older boys is not necessary as evidence suggests they're already benefitting greatly from the herd protection that has built up from 10 years of the girls' HPV vaccination program.

The HPV vaccine is most effective if received before girls and boys come into contact with the virus – so before they are sexually active.  

After the vaccination is administered, the young person will be given a certificate with the date and name of the vaccination received, along with information about potential side effected of which you should be aware. The certificate should be kept in the young person’s health record (red) book as a record of vaccination. 

Please see below for consent forms which you can complete to get your child vaccinated at school.

You can find more information on the HPV vaccine on the NHS website

For other trusted sources of information on HPV, and the HPV vaccine, please see:

You can also download this leaflet (available in a range of languages) for more information:

Please watch this video on the HPV vaccine, including what to expect on the day the School Age Immunisations Team visit your school.

 


3-in-1 teenage booster and MenACWY vaccinations

The 3-in-1 teenage booster, also known as the school leavers booster or Td/IPV vaccine is given to boost protection against 3 separate diseases: tetanus, diphtheria and polio. Your child should have received protection against these diseases during their vaccinations when they were:

  • 8 weeks old
  • 12 weeks old 
  • 16 weeks old
  • 3 years and 4 months old

 

Tetanus

Tetanus is caused by a poison produced by a germ found in soil, dust and manure that can enter the body through a cut, wound or any break in the skin. Tetanus causes serious, painful spasms of muscles and can lead to "locking" of the jaw so a person cannot open his or her mouth, swallow, breath or move. 

 

Diphtheria

Diphtheria is a highly contagious infection that affects the nose and throat, and sometimes the skin. It can be a serious illness and sometimes fatal, especially in children if it is not treated quickly. It is easily passed to others through coughing and sneezing.

 

Polio

Polio is a serious infection which can cause long-term or lifelong difficulties. It is spread easily from person to person, usually through contact with the poo of an infected person. 

 

These infections are now rare in the UK due to the vaccination programme. However, it is important that children and young people continue to receive their vaccinations against these diseases to protect them. It is especially important to receive your vaccinations if you travel to countries where these diseases are more common.

The vaccine used is called Revaxis. For more information, please see the manufacturers guide.

The MenACWY vaccine protects against four different strains of the meningococcal bacteria (A, C, W and Y) which can cause meningitis and septicaemia. 

Meningitis is caused by the lining of the brain becoming infected and swollen. It can be very serious if not treated quickly, and can cause permanent damage including:

  • Hearing or vision loss
  • Seizures or epilepsy
  • Loss of limbs through amputation.

The meningitis viruses are usually spread by people who carry the viruses or bacteria unknowingly in their nose or throat, but aren't ill themselves. This can be transmitted through sneezing, coughing, kissing, sharing utensils, toothbrushes etc.

Septicaemia is a type of blood poisoning, which is extremely serious. If it not treated quickly, it can cause organ failure.

The vaccine used is called Nimenrix. For more information, please see the manufacturers guide

Both the 3-in-1 teenage booster and the MenACWY vaccination are offered to young people between 13 and 14 years old, in year 9 at school. They are offered as two vaccines in the upper muscle of the arm. 

Parents will receive a consent form from school before the School Age Immunisation Service are due to visit. After the vaccination is administered, the young person will be given a certificate with the date and name of vaccination received, along with information about potential side effects that the young person and parent/ guardian should be aware of. The certificate should be retained in the young person’s health record (red) book as a record of vaccination.

Young people aged 16-25 should contact their GPs to ensure they receive the vaccine if they have not had it in the last 10 years.

Both the 3-in-1 teenage booster and MenACWY are highly effective at providing protection against the above diseases.

There may be some side effects from receiving these vaccines, but these are mild and pass soon. The most common include:

  • Redness or soreness around the vaccination site
  • High temperature or headache 
  • Feeling sick or tired. 

Please see below for consent forms which you can complete to get your child vaccinated at school.

Please see the NHS website for more information on the 3-in-1 teenage booster and the MenACWY vaccination.

For other trusted sources of information on the 3-in-1 teenage booster and the MenACWY vaccine, please see:

You can also download these leaflets (available in a range of languages):


Secondary school catch-up clinics

Please note that these clinics are strictly by appointment only. To make an appointment at these clinics, please call your local team. The clinic details and phone numbers are listed below.

Please call 020 3903 3380 for more information or to book an appointment.

Wednesday 10 April, 10:00 - 14:00
Chislehurst
Thursday 18 April, 14:30 - 16:00
Erith
Thursday 23 May, 14:30 - 16:00
Erith

Please call 020 3903 3375 for more information or to book an appointment.

Friday 5 April 2024, 09:00 - 14:00
Chislehurst
Tuesday 9 April 2024, 09:00 - 14:00
Chislehurst
Thursday 11 April 2024, 09:00 - 14:00
Chislehurst

Please call 020 3691 1043 for more information or to book an appointment.

 

Thursday 4 April, 09:30 - 12:30
Teddington
Saturday 20 April, 09:30 - 12:30
Surbiton
Tuesday 28 May, 09:30 - 12:30
Teddington

Please call 020 8614 5495 for more information or to book an appointment.

 

Tuesday 9 April 2024, 10:00 - 14:00
Stockwell
Wednesday 10 April 2024, 10:00 - 14:00
Stockwell
Thursday 11 April 2024, 10:00 - 14:00
Stockwell

Please call 020 3903 3373 for more information or to book an appointment.

 
Tuesday 26 March, 15:00 – 17:30
Mitcham
Monday 8 April, 10:00 - 13:00
Mitcham
Tuesday 30 April, 15:00 - 17:30
Mitcham
Wednesday 14 May, 15:00 - 17:30
Mitcham

Please call 020 3691 1019 for more information or to book an appointment.

 

Thursday 4 April, 09:30 - 12:30
Teddington
Saturday 20 April, 09:30 - 12:30
Surbiton
Tuesday 28 May, 09:30 - 12:30
Teddington

Please call 020 8614 5496 for more information or to book an appointment.

 

Thursday 11 April 2024, 10:00 - 14:30
Waterloo
Friday 12 April 2024, 10:00 - 14:30
Waterloo

Please call 020 3903 3371 for more information or to book an appointment.

 
Tuesday 26 March, 15:00 – 17:30
Mitcham
Monday 8 April, 10:00 - 13:00
Mitcham
Tuesday 30 April, 15:00 - 17:30
Mitcham
Wednesday 14 May, 15:00 - 17:30
Mitcham

Please call 020 3093 3374 for more information or to book an appointment.

 
Wednesday 10 April, 10:00 - 14:00
Wandsworth

All children from reception to year 11 will be offered the flu vaccination through a nasal spray. It is painless, very quick to administer, and serious side effects are uncommon. 

By having the flu vaccination, children are less likely to pass the virus on to family and friends. This will help to protect those who are at greater risk from flu, including infants, older people and those with an underlying health condition. In addition, it will prevent time off school and work for family members who have to care for their child whilst unwell.

The nasal flu vaccination contains a small amount of gelatine from pigs (porcine gelatine). The flu vaccine injection is available, which does not contain gelatine. If you would prefer for your child to receive the flu vaccine injection, please mark clearly on the consent form you receive from your child’s school. 

Influenza (flu) is a common infectious viral illness. You can catch flu all year round, but it is especially common in winter. You can catch flu many times because flu viruses change regularly, and so your body won’t have a natural resistance to the new versions. 

Flu can be very unpleasant in children and young people, sometimes even causing serious problems such as pneumonia and bronchitis. Flu is very infections and can easily spread to other people through germs in coughs and sneezes. These germs can live on hands and surfaces for 24 hours. 

The flu vaccine changes every year, based on research as to which strain of flu virus will be most common. Protection from the flu vaccine goes down over time and the types of flu the vaccine protects against are updated each year. This is why it's important to get the flu vaccine every year. The children’s flu vaccine aims to protect children against the most common types of flu viruses. There is still a chance your child might get flu after getting vaccinated, but they’re less likely to become seriously ill, or need to go to hospital. 

There are currently no flu catch-up clinics on offer. When the flu programme begins again in September 2024, we will add clinic information here.

You can find more information on the children’s flu vaccine programme, please see to the NHS website

Alternatively, please watch the video below, which has been created specifically to inform parents and children about the nasal flu spray:

 
 

Please see below for details of upcoming community clinics. If you have questions about the clinics, please contact your local School Age Immunisations Team.

To book an appointment at one of our upcoming clinics, please call 020 8487 1730 or email HRCH.Immunisationcallcentre@nhs.net. If you cannot make these dates, you can book an appointment for MMR and Polio vaccines through your GP surgery.

 

Kingston

Thursday 28 March, 15:00 – 18:00
Kingston Library, Wheatfield Way, Kingston, KT1 2PS

At our secondary school catch-up clinics, your child can recieve the following vaccinations:

  • MMR
  • 3-in-1 teenage booster
  • HPV
  • MenACWY

Please note that these clinics are strictly by appointment only. To make an appointment at these clinics, please call your local team. The phone numbers are listed below. 

 

Bexley

Please call 020 3903 3380 for more information or to book an appointment.

Wednesday 10 April, 10:00 - 14:00
Chislehurst
Thursday 18 April, 14:30 - 16:00
Erith
Thursday 23 May, 14:30 - 16:00
Erith
 

Bromley

Please call 020 3903 3375 for more information or to book an appointment.

Friday 5 April 2024, 09:00 - 14:00
Chislehurst
Tuesday 9 April 2024, 09:00 - 14:00
Chislehurst
Thursday 11 April 2024, 09:00 - 14:00
Chislehurst
 

Kingston

Please call 020 3691 1043 for more information or to book an appointment.

Thursday 4 April, 09:30 - 12:30
Teddington
Saturday 20 April, 09:30 - 12:30
Surbiton
Tuesday 28 May, 09:30 - 12:30
Teddington
 

Lambeth

Please call 020 8614 5495 for more information or to book an appointment.

Tuesday 9 April 2024, 10:00 - 14:00
Stockwell
Wednesday 10 April 2024, 10:00 - 14:00
Stockwell
Thursday 11 April 2024, 10:00 - 14:00
Stockwell
 

Merton

Please call 020 3903 3373 for more information or to book an appointment.

Tuesday 26 March, 15:00 – 17:30
Mitcham
Monday 8 April, 10:00 - 13:00
Mitcham
Tuesday 30 April, 15:00 - 17:30
Mitcham
Wednesday 14 May, 15:00 - 17:30
Mitcham

 

Richmond

Please call 020 3691 1019 for more information or to book an appointment.

Thursday 4 April, 09:30 - 12:30
Teddington
Saturday 20 April, 09:30 - 12:30
Surbiton
Tuesday 28 May, 09:30 - 12:30
Teddington
 

Southwark

Please call 020 8614 5496 for more information or to book an appointment.

Thursday 11 April 2024, 10:00 - 14:30
Waterloo
Friday 12 April 2024, 10:00 - 14:30
Waterloo

 

Sutton

Please call 020 3903 3371 for more information or to book an appointment.

Tuesday 26 March, 15:00 – 17:30
Mitcham
Monday 8 April, 10:00 - 13:00
Mitcham
Tuesday 30 April, 15:00 - 17:30
Mitcham
Wednesday 14 May, 15:00 - 17:30
Mitcham

 

Wandsworth

Please call 020 3093 3374 for more information or to book an appointment.

Wednesday 10 April, 10:00 - 14:00
Wandsworth