Health professional resources

Use the menu below to access the information on vaccination programmes, guidelines, publications and training materials for health professionals.

Policy

The Department of Health is responsible for developing vaccination policy, based on recommendations from the Joint Committee of Vaccinations and Immunisations (JCVI), Membership of JCVI includes representatives from all Devolved Administrations.

Policy documents on vaccinations can be found on the DoH website here

The Green Book

PHE Immunization against infectious diseases known as The Green Book is the definitive advice for vaccination policy.

Flu vaccination programme 2024-25 (training)

E-learning

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.

Vaccine programmes information for healthcare professionals

Vaccine type


Information for healthcare professionals

General professional information

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

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

Childhood immunisation programme 

Pre-school immunisations (aged 2–4 years)

Includes: Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, MMR

 

Immunisations for 12–13 year olds

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

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 programmes

Information for healthcare professionals

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

Patient Group Directives

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.

Targeted programmes (COVID-19 booster, COVID-19 & Flu programme)

Guidance on vaccine handling and storage in primary care

The PHA and HSCB have jointly produced regional guidance for General Practices for safe and effective handling and storage of vaccines and is available here.  

Resources to assist health professionals in vaccination of those who have been vaccinated in another country or who’s vaccinations in uncertain

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

Measles awareness session

Measles Awareness Session provides guidance and information to promote and educate around Measles, MMR and the catch-up campaign.

 

 

Measles Cases Europe A 30-fold rise of measles cases in 2023 in the WHO European Region warrants urgent action

Measles Cases Europe  Measles on the rise in the EU/EEA - 16 February 2024 (europa.eu)).

Measles cases England - National Measles Standard Incident - measles epidemiology (from October 2023) - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Measles cases NI - Measles | HSC Public Health Agency (hscni.net)

Preschool vaccination programme factsheets and training

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)

RSV vaccination (publications and training materials)

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.