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Children from struggling families will be able to be vaccinated at home across parts of England in a new government pilot scheme.
Health visitors – specialist public health nurses who support families with children under five – will administer the jabs during routine health visits, which removes the “obstacles” that some families face in accessing healthcare.
A Government statement said the new pilot would target families who have “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”.
The scheme is not designed to replace GP vaccinations and families should continue to get their child vaccinated at their local surgery, the statement added.
The £2m scheme aims to improve immunisation rates, with figures released last year showing not a single childhood vaccine in England in 2024 met the 95% target needed to ensure diseases cannot spread among youngsters.
The 12 pilot schemes will roll out from mid-January across London, the midlands, north-east England and Yorkshire, the north west and south west.
The government is also announcing that from 2 January, all children will be vaccinated against chickenpox for the first time.
They will receive the new MMRV vaccine, protecting against measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox, which replaces the current MMR vaccine.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting 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…
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