Parents encouraged to complete school flu vaccination consent forms
Parents and carers of children and young people across Derby and Derbyshire are being encouraged to complete their child’s flu vaccination consent form as soon as they receive it from the School Age Immunisation Service (SAIS).
Each autumn, SAIS delivers the annual flu vaccination programme in schools across Derby and Derbyshire.
The programme takes place between September and December and helps protect children, their families and wider communities from flu during the winter months.
Providing a consent response, whether you choose to accept or decline vaccination, is important as it helps the immunisation team plan vaccination sessions and ensure every child receives the appropriate information and opportunity to be vaccinated.
This year, parents and carers may notice a change to how they receive consent requests. You can watch a video on the consent process here.
Consent requests in Derby and Derbyshire are provided by IntraHealth.
Previously, schools distributed links to the online consent form on behalf of the immunisation service.
With the introduction of a new online system known as MAVIS (Manage Vaccinations in Schools), parents and carers will now receive secure consent invitations directly from SAIS by email or text message.
Developed by NHS England specifically for School Age Immunisation Services, MAVIS will enable the immunisation team to communicate directly with families, providing vaccination information, reminders and consent requests in a more streamlined way.
Parents and carers will receive a secure link by email or text message which allows them to:
- Give consent for vaccination
- Decline vaccination if they do not wish their child to be vaccinated
- Access information about the vaccine being offered
Schools will continue to play an important role in supporting vaccination programmes and hosting vaccination sessions, but they will no longer be required to distribute consent links on behalf of the immunisation service.
If you miss your schools clinic, catch up clinics can be found across Derby and Derbyshire. You can book a clinic through the NHS England website.
The annual flu vaccination programme helps protect children and young people from what can be a serious and unpleasant illness.
Children are more likely to catch and spread flu, which can result in time away from school and can also lead to infection being passed on to family members and others who may be more vulnerable to complications, such as babies, older people and those with long-term health conditions.