- Government to bring vaccines to doorsteps of families who
can't make it to the doctor
- New pilot will reach families facing barriers like travel
costs, language difficulties or vaccine hesitancy
- £2 million pilot aims to close gap in healthcare inequalities
Health visiting teams will offer vaccinations to children,
providing a vital safety net for families who might otherwise
miss out.
The new pilot targets families who've fallen through the
cracks - including those not signed up with a GP, struggling with
travel costs, childcare juggling, language barriers or other
tough circumstances that stop them getting to the doctor.
By offering vaccinations during routine health visits, the pilot
removes these obstacles and ensures more children can access
life-saving protection.
Health visitors are specialist public health nurses who support
families with children under five. They provide advice on healthy
child development, feeding, and family health through regular
home visits and clinic appointments.
The twelve pilot schemes will roll out from mid-January across
five regions of England - London, the Midlands, North East &
Yorkshire, North West, and South West - designed to boost uptake
and protect children from preventable diseases.
While the scheme isn't designed to replace your GP - families
should continue to get vaccinated at their local surgery
first – it supports families with children who'd otherwise
slip through the net.
Health and Social Care Secretary, , said:
Every parent deserves the chance to protect their child from
preventable diseases, but some families have a lot going on and
that can mean they miss out.
Health visitors are already trusted faces in communities across
the country. By allowing them to offer vaccinations, we're using
the relationships and expertise that already exist to reach
families who need support most.
Fixing the NHS means tackling health inequalities head-on. By
meeting families where they are, we're not just boosting
vaccination rates - we're building a health service that works
for everyone.
The year-long trial will be evaluated before rolling it out
across the country from 2027.
Health visitors on the pilot will get extra training to tackle
tricky conversations with worried parents - including those who
have doubts about vaccination - and to give vaccinations
safely.
Struggling families will be identified by the NHS using GP
records, health visitor notes and local databases.
The pilots form part of the commitment to ramp up vaccination
programmes, with over 18 million flu vaccines delivered this
autumn - hundreds of thousands more compared to this time last
year - and over 60,000 more NHS staff also getting their
jab.
The government is also investing in better digital services to
help families track their child's health and vaccinations.
Through the new NHS App, parents will be able to monitor their
children's health using My Children - a 21st century digital
alternative to the Red Book.
The pilot builds on the government's commitment to Family Hubs
and Start for Life programmes, which provide vital support for
families during pregnancy and the early years of a child's life,
including health visiting services and parenting support.
From 2 January 2026, children will receive the new MMRV vaccine,
protecting against measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox in one
vaccine. This replaces the current MMR vaccine, and offers
protection against chickenpox for the first time while making
vaccination simpler for families.
The government's ‘Stay Strong. Get Vaccinated' campaign also runs
throughout the year to promote confidence in vaccination.
