A review of influenza immunisation in Lothian

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Vaccinology

Context:

• Annual Chief Medical Officer (CMO) guidelines aim to improve influenza immunisation rates.
• Long-stay residential facilities house vulnerable populations requiring targeted vaccination strategies.
• Assessing vaccine uptake in these groups is crucial for public health interventions.

Purpose:

• To evaluate the impact of CMO guidelines on influenza vaccination practices.
• To determine influenza vaccine uptake among residents of long-stay facilities and other at-risk individuals.
• To identify barriers and facilitators to vaccination in these populations.

Summary:

• Postal questionnaires surveyed general practitioners (GPs) and hospital consultants in Lothian, Scotland, regarding influenza vaccination of at-risk groups.
• Results showed 75% of GPs offered the vaccine to all at-risk groups, aligning with CMO guidelines.
• Conversely, only 4% of hospital consultants offered the vaccine to all long-stay patients, with many citing patient quality of life or cognitive status as reasons for non-vaccination.

Impact:

• Highlights a disparity in influenza vaccine provision between primary and secondary care settings for vulnerable populations.
• Suggests a need for clearer communication and potentially revised strategies to improve consultant-led vaccination in long-stay facilities.
• Informs future public health policy aimed at enhancing influenza immunisation coverage in elderly and chronically ill patients residing in long-term care settings.