Professional resources
Overview
The professional resources page provides trusted guidance, training, and campaign materials for professionals involved in vaccination delivery, education, and public outreach. These users might include:
- Healthcare professionals (GPs, nurses, pharmacists)
- School staff (teachers, headteachers, administrators)
- Community and voluntary sector workers (youth workers, outreach teams)
- Public health officials
- Care home staff
- Social workers and early years practioners
Whether you're a healthcare provider, educator, or part of the voluntary or community sector, you find the latest resources, guidelines, and training materials below.
What's new
- Seasonal updates (Flu 2024-25 including pre-school)
- New training modules
- Changes in eligibility or guidance
Guidance and training programme resources:
Vaccination policy and programme guidance
Vaccination policy and governance
Who sets vaccination policy?
The Department of Health (DoH) is responsible for developing vaccination policy, based on recommendations from the Joint Committee of Vaccinations and Immunisations (JCVI). The JCVI includes representatives from all Devolved Administrations.
Key reference documents:
- Policy documents: Access national vaccination policy materials on the Department of Health website.
- The Green Book: Immunisation against infectious diseases (commonly known as the Green Book) provides authoritative guidance on vaccination policy and practice.
- Vaccine update - GOV.UK
Programme overview
- Green Book
- Vaccination of individuals with uncertain or incomplete immunisation status
- PHA immunisation resources for health professionals
- Childhood immunisation programme: full details
- Guidance on vaccine handling and storage in Primary Care including maintenance of the Vaccine Cold Chain
- Translated immunisation invitation letters
Childhood vaccination programmes
Immunisations for infants (aged under 1 year) and children (aged 1–2 years)
- Includes: Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, hepatitis B, Hib, MMR, Men B, Men C, pneumococcal, rotavirus, BCG, influenza
- Resources: Childhood immunisation programme
Pre-school immunisations (aged 2–4 years)
- Includes: Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, MMR
Immunisations for 12–13 year old
- Includes: Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, MenACWY, MMR, HPV
- Factsheet on MenACWY immunisation for teenagers
- Factsheet on HPV vaccine for children in Year 9 and 10
- HPV vaccine training slides 2019 15_8_19.pptx
Specific vaccines information
- MenACWY - Factsheet on MenACWY immunisation for teenagers
- Men B - Meningitis B immunisation
- Pertussis (whooping cough) - Includes: Infants, pre-school aged children and pregnant women Pertussis (whooping cough) immunisation
- Rotavirus - Factsheet on rotavirus immunisation
Targeted campaigns
- BCG (tuberculosis)
- Hepatitis B - Includes: Universal hepatitis B programme and hepatitis B vaccine for at risk babies, Clinical guidelines on hepatitis B
- Influenza (flu) - Includes: Children, adults, pregnant women and healthcare workers - Flu resources for professionals
- HPV vaccine - Includes: Gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM)
- Pregnant women - Includes: Flu, pertussis, MMR, hepatitis B and syphilis advice
- Shingles - Factsheet on shingles vaccination
- Splenectomy - Includes: MenACWY, pneumococcal, flu, Factsheet on splenectomy
- Travel vaccines (National Travel and Health Network, Travax) - NATHNAC support for those providing health information to people going travelling , Travel health information from TRAVAX
Vaccination guidance for special cases
Guidance for health professional in cases of patients vaccinated in other countries or with uncertain vaccination history.
- Managing incomplete immunisation histories using UKHSA algorithm training video and presentation PHA incomplete vaccination slides.
- Vaccination of individuals with uncertain or incomplete immunisation status, Public Health England, one-page summary to help health professionals vaccinate people correctly to protect them and their families from disease.
- United Kingdom and international immunisation schedules comparison tool, Public Health England, to help health professionals ascertain vaccines individuals moving aboard may have received.
- Vaccine schedules in all countries of the European Union, European Centre of Disease Control, an interactive tool that shows vaccination schedules for EU/EEA countries.
- WHO link on vaccine programmes
- Northern Ireland Health and Social Care Interpreting Service (NIHSCIS), Business Support Organisation
- Translated immunisation invitation letters, Public Health Agency
Seasonal campaigns (2024-25 flu incl preschool), COVID-19
Flu vaccination programme 2024-25
- Flu presentation - Adult 2024.25.pptx
- Flu vaccination programme - childhood presentation 2024.25.pptx
- Click here for seasonal flu training for health professionals
Preschool vaccination programme
Routine childhood immunisation programme poster
Childhood immunisations: general guidance information on delivery
PHA Immunisation training slides:
- Hexavalent Combination Vaccine (6 in 1) Diptheria,Tetanus, Pertussis, Polio, Haemophilus influenzae type B and Hepatitis B(DTaP/IPV/Hib/HepB)
- Rotavirus Vaccine
- Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine
- Meningococcal B and C Vaccines
- Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) Vaccine
- DTaP/IPV Booster Vaccine (preschool booster)
PHA Health Professional factsheets:
- Hexavalent DTaP/IPV/Hib/HepB Combination Vaccine (6 in 1)
- Rotavirus Vaccine factsheet for Healthcare professionals (Immunisation)
- Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine
- Meningococcal B immunization Programme- Factsheet for Healthcare professionals
- MMR Vaccine advice
- DTaP/IPV Booster Vaccines (preschool booster)
Targeted programmes (COVID-19, combined COVID-19 and flu, RSV)
COVID-19
PHA COVID-19 vaccination for adults training slides Apr 2025.pptx
PHA COVID-19 vaccination for children training slides 27.09.24
Operational update on COVID-19 booster for 16 & 17 yr olds 2024-25
Combined COVID-19 and flu
Covid-19, flu programme delivery model planning letter Autumn 2024-25
RSV
Publications and training materials:
Training materials:
- RSV vaccination training slides_maternal programme for infant protection 08.2024
- RSV vaccination training slides_adult programme 08.24
RSV publications:
Educators (school teachers and principles)
Teachers webinars
- HPV promotional video Schools 2024.pptx
- Teenage vaccination: information for teachers (video)
- Measles Awareness Session provides guidance and information to promote and educate around Measles, MMR and the catch-up campaign.
- Measles Cases Europe Measles on the rise in the EU/EEA - 16 February 2024 (europa.eu)).
- Measles Cases Europe A 30-fold rise of measles cases in 2023 in the WHO European Region warrants urgent action
- Measles cases England - National Measles Standard Incident - measles epidemiology (from October 2023) - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
- Measles cases Northern Ireland - Measles | HSC Public Health Agency (hscni.net)
Community and voluntary sector professionals
under construction
Parental and pregnant (HPV, measles, pregnancy)
Webinars (parental and the pregnancy)
Covering topics such as measles, pregnancy, parental guidance focus resources.
- Measles Awareness Session provides guidance and information to promote and educate around Measles, MMR and the catch-up campaign.
- Measles Cases Europe Measles on the rise in the EU/EEA - 16 February 2024 (europa.eu)).
- Measles Cases Europe A 30-fold rise of measles cases in 2023 in the WHO European Region warrants urgent action
- Measles cases England - National Measles Standard Incident - measles epidemiology (from October 2023) - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
- Measles cases Northern Ireland - Measles | HSC Public Health Agency (hscni.net)
Pregnancy webinars
Parental webinars
- General childhood immunisation: webinar for parents
Patient Group Directives (PGDs)
The PHA and Health and Social Care Board (HSCB) PGD Development Group have adapted Public Health England national PGDs for use in Northern Ireland, with their permission. They can be used to facilitate the delivery of Immunizations in HSC, in line with national recommendations.
Currently PGDs for Regional Immunisation Programmes are accessed on the HSCB Integrated Care or Trust Intranet websites.
E-learning modules
The e-learning for health (e-lfh) general immunisation modules provide training for many of the standards outlined in the National Minimum Standards and Core Curriculum for Immunisation Training for Registered Healthcare Practitioners:
- Immunology & Assessment
- Communicating with patients, parents and carers
- Legal Aspects & Assessment
- Vaccine Storage & Assessment
- Vaccine Administration & Assessment
Health professionals working in Health and Social Care (HSC) in Northern Ireland can access e-lfh immunisation modules with their hscni.net email address.
Standards and core curriculum for immunisation training
The National Minimum Standards and Core Curriculum for Immunisation Training for Registered Healthcare Practitioners, February 2018, provide minimum standards and the core curriculum for health professionals requiring training in vaccinations.
Immunisation documents previously published by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) have now been incorporated into this document. The Public Health Agency endorses the advice and recommendations provided.
Storage and handling
Vaccine handling and storage guidance for primary care settings.
The PHA and HSCB have jointly produced regional guidance for General Practices for safe and effective handling and storage of vaccines.
Communications toolkit (social media resources)
Use the social media assets and messaging below to spread awareness and promote vaccination programmes running in Northern Ireland.
Check Public Health Agency's social media channels, subscribe to stay up-to-date on the latest vaccination programme campaigns: