Vital changes have now been made to the routine childhood immunisation schedule for infants (active from 1 July 2025).
The changes are at 8, 12 and 16 weeks of age, and are as follows:
> the meningococcal B vaccine, previously offered at 8 and 16 weeks will be offered at 8 and 12-weeks-old
> the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) previously offered at 12 weeks will be offered at 16-weeks-old
> the routine Hib/Men C (Menitorix) for children turning one on or after 1 July 2025 will no longer be given
> ending of monovalent hepatitis B dose offered at one year in the selective neonatal Hep B programme
Changes are also being introduced from January 2026, as follows:
> introduction of an additional fourth dose of DTaP/IPV/Hib/ HepB at a new 18-month appointment
> second MMR dose will be moved from 3 years 4 months to 18 months.
More information on the rationale for these changes and further information can be found on the link below.
At the time of writing, the JCVI recommendation for a vaccine against varicella (chickenpox) to be added to the UK routine
childhood immunisation programme had not yet received final approval.
These changes come at a time when parents are facing access barriers to vaccination, the Royal College of Paediatrics
and Child Health report (see page 8)
