2-Day Introduction to Immunisation & Vaccination (HCPs)

Course Content:-

This course is designed for healthcare professionals including Registered Nurses, Paramedics, Pharmacists, Nursing Associates (NMC Registered) and GPs who are preparing to deliver immunisations in general practice.

Delegates having attended the course will require a period of supervised practice before attaining competence in delivering vaccines and they are recommended to demonstrate this by completing the UKHSA Competence tool provided.

Those attending will also be required to undertake the relevant immunisation modules from the NHS e-learningforhealthcare website.

Course content is based on the document ‘National Minimum Standards and Core Curriculum for Vaccination Training’ (UKHSA June 2025) and the RCN Travel Competency document ‘Travel health nursing: career and competence development’ (RCN Updated 2024) and covers the following areas:

The immune system

• Terminology and how vaccines work

Vaccine policy

• Vaccine preventable diseases in relation to UK immunisation schedules
• How UK policy is produced and implemented
• Importance of taking a full immunisation history

Legal Issues

• Obtaining consent for immunisations Prescribing Vaccines (PGDs, VGDs & PSDs) Documentation

Administration of the vaccines

• Routes of administration including injections, oral and nasal routes

Vaccine storage and delivery

• Understanding how to store vaccines safely to prevent wastage

Finding and using Resources

• The Green Book and ‘Vaccine Update’
• Routine Immunisation Schedule documents
• Vaccine information for patients and parents/carers

Addressing Vaccine Hesitancy

• Considering strategies to improve uptake of immunisations in the UK

An Introduction to Travel Health provision in General Practice

• The travel health risk assessment
• NHS and private travel vaccines
• Identifying services for patients requiring non-NHS travel advice