Course content

This course consists of 3 sessions:

1. How to address vaccine hesitancy when speaking with parents (December 2020)
2. Motivational interviewing (January 2021)
3. Check up on progress and final pointers (March 2021)

All participants will be buddied up with someone locally to further practise skills and support each other in their learning.

There will be virtual support to troubleshoot any issues during training.

To prepare for the first workshop, all participants are asked to think of some awkward or difficult questions that parents may ask them about vaccinations.  

Course aims

To equip vaccinators and people involved in the healthy child programme, with the tools to answer parental concerns about childhood immunisations.

• Vaccine hesitancy is a major contributor to lowering immunisation uptake in London.
• Vaccine hesitancy refers to delay in acceptance or refusal of vaccines despite availability of vaccination services. 
• Vaccine hesitancy is complex and context specific varying across time, place and vaccines. It includes factors such as complacency, convenience and confidence. 
• Health workers remain the most trusted advisor and influencer of vaccination decisions. 
• Numerous studies have shown that if a health care professional recommends or takes the time to answer parents’ questions, the parents are more likely to consent to the vaccination.

See Downloads for workshop programme full details.

How to join

To request a calendar invitation to attend the workshops, please contact Dr Catherine Heffernan, Principal Advisor for Commissioning, Early Years, Immunisations and Vaccination Services, Public Health England.

e: catherine.heffernan@nhs.net