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news.A pneumococcal vaccine is to be added to the UK's childhood vaccination program from September, following the signing of an agreement over how doctors will be paid for administering the vaccine.
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The agreement reached between NHS Employers and the General Practitioners Committee (GPC) of the British Medical Association on how GPs will be paid for administering the vaccinations means the immunization program will now start on September 4, 2006.
Children will be given the vaccination against pneumococcal disease at the age of two months, four months and 13 months. They will get an additional injection around their first birthday for Hib meningitis and meningitis C.
Children who are older at the start of the program will be part of a ‘catch-up’ campaign to ensure they get the vaccinations they need.
The agreement between NHS Employers and the GPC means GPs will receive GBP15.02 for each child who completes the vaccination course as part of the routine program and GBP7.51 per child for the catch-up campaign.
Funding for the vaccination program will be distributed to the UK National health Service (NHS) shortly as part of the roll out of the 2006/07 central program budgets.
“This vaccine will save children’s lives and that’s why the negotiation teams on both sides have been keen to reach an agreement quickly,” commented Dr Peter Dickson, chair of NHS Employers’ vaccinations and immunizations team. “What we have is a deal which is cost-effective and yet gives GPs the funds to be able to start the process of immunizing their young patients.”