The power of prevention: boosting vaccine uptake

Panellists:

• Chris Hopson, Chief Strategy Officer, NHS England
• Steve Race MP, Chair, APPG for Pharmacy
• Caroline Temmink, Director, Vaccination, NHS England
• Kirsten Watters, Director, Public Health, Camden Council and Immunisation Lead, London Association of Directors of Public Health

Less than a year after the COVID-19 pandemic began, the UK became the first  country in the world to administer a vaccine outside of clinical trials. As well as being an astonishing feat of medical innovation, the rollout demonstrated just how crucial vaccines are to prevention.  

To ensure vaccines continue to make their vital health prevention contribution and relieve pressure on the NHS, we must ensure that uptake is high enough to suppress disease and protect the wider population. And while the UK has generally had high levels of confidence in vaccines, a worrying trend has emerged in which uptake of key immunisation programmes is now falling.   

The new Government’s health mission promises to improve access to health services, grow survival rates, and ensure health equity. To do this, the Government has promised to prioritise prevention – something our report looks at, through the lens of increasing vaccine uptake, in detail. Achieving this will require joined-up working between central and local government, with public health at its heart.  

Re:State was delighted to welcome Chris Hopson, Chief Strategy Officer, NHS England, Steve Race MP, Chair, APPG for Pharmacy, Caroline Temmink, Director, Vaccination, NHS England and Kirsten Watters, Director, Public Health, Camden Council and Immunisation Lead, London Association of Directors of Public Health, to discuss vaccine uptake.

This panel event was kindly supported by Novavax.