Immunisations and vaccines for young people

The school age immunisation team provide vaccinations for school age children and young people (reception to year 11) across Derbyshire and Derby City.

The team go into school to immunise the children against different illnessees including FluMeningitisDiphtheriaTetanusPolio, and HPV.

See the 'medical treatment and consent' guide below, or your parents/ carers can now give consent for vaccinations by accessing an online form, which must be completed for each person. The vaccine information, school code and link to the consent form will be sent out from school.

You can look on our calendar for the dates that the immunisation team will be visiting your school, by typing the name of the school in the ‘search’.

If you do not attend school or have missed the school vaccination date, the team run catch-up clinics across the county and city including, after school, school holidays and at weekends. Please contact the immunisation team on the telephone numbers or email address below for more information or to arrange this.

If you are home educated, or have any concerns or questions about the immunisation programmes and vaccines, please get in touch with the immunisation team:

DCHS immunisation team (north):

Telephone: 01246 252953 or email: DCHST.immunisationteam@nhs.net

DCHS immunisation team (south and city):

Telephone: 01283 707178 or email: DCHST.immunisationteam@nhs.net

The UK has one of the most successful immunisation programmes in the world.

Vaccination programmes have played an important part in reducing or removing many dangerous diseases. However, it is important that people continue to be immunised against these diseases to make sure they don’t return and harm our families and communities.

Vaccines are the most effective way to prevent infectious diseases.

 

The flu vaccine is offered to children to help protect them and those around them against flu. The vaccine is mainly given to children as a nasal spray, but an injectable vaccine is also available. Schools will provide more information each autumn about the flu programme.

Young people can get a Covid-19 vaccine from a local clinic or GP surgery. This vaccine is not given out in school.

The HPV vaccine can help protect against cancers caused by the Human Papillomavirus and a 1st dose is routinely offered in school year 8 with a 2nd dose in year 9.

The Teenage Booster (Td/IPV) vaccine is given to boost protection against 3 separate diseases: tetanusdiphtheria and polio. It is a single injection given into the muscle of the upper arm and routinely offered in year 9.

The Meningitis ACWY vaccine is given by a single injection into the upper arm and protects against 4 strains of the meningococcal bacteria – A, C, W and Y – which cause meningitis and blood poisoning (septicaemia).

The Meningitis ACWY vaccine is routinely offered to teenagers in year 9 at the same time as the Teenage Booster.

"Fresher" students going to university for the first time should make sure they have had the Meningitis ACWY vaccine to help prevent meningitis and septicaemia, which can be life threatening.

You might find you are ready to make some of your own decisions about your health and wellbeing. This video gives a bit more information about how health professionals will support you to make a decision for yourself.

It also covers situations where health professionals or your family may make decisions on your behalf.