Scottish Vaccine Update
Issue 87

Introduction

Welcome to the June edition of the Scottish Vaccine Update.

This edition focuses on the upcoming changes to the routine childhood immunisation programme in July 2025 and January 2026.

Routine childhood immunisation programme

To optimise protection against vaccine preventable diseases (VPDs), for both individuals and for community level protection, the UK vaccination schedule is kept under constant review.

Changes to the routine childhood immunisation programme are required due to the discontinuation of the manufacture of Menitorix ® (Hib/MenC) vaccine.

This change prompted the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) – an independent expert advisory body that advises health departments on immunisation and effective vaccine delivery – to recommend and advise on the changes to the routine childhood immunisation programme to optimise the overall protection of children in the UK.

Alongside the changes due to the discontinuation of the Hib/MenC vaccine, JCVI have also considered changes to the epidemiology of vaccine-preventable diseases, and the following main changes will be introduced.

There will be:

• changes to the recommended timings and interval between doses of meningococcal B (MenB) vaccine
• changes to the recommended timings of the pneumococcal vaccine (PCV13)
• changes to the selective programme for babies at risk of contracting Hepatitis B
• the introduction of a new 18-month appointment for children born on, or after, 1 July 2024

In Scotland, the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) within Scottish Government reviews JCVI advice and, with ministerial approval, instructs the 14 NHS health boards on the requirements for delivery of this, and all, vaccination programmes.

The Chief Medical Officer (CMO) letter that details changes to the routine childhood vaccination schedule and the selective neonatal hepatitis B vaccination programme from 1 July 2025.

Changes to be implemented

From 1 July 2025

Cessation of routine Hib/MenC (Menitorix) offer to those turning 12 months for children born on or after 1 July 2024. 

At the 12-week appointment, the first dose of PCV13 will be replaced by the second dose of MenB for all children attending their 12-week appointment.

At the 16-week appointment, the second dose of MenB will be replaced by the first dose of PCV13 for all children attending their 16-week appointment, unless they have received a PCV13 dose from 12 weeks of age.

For children born on or after 1 July 2024, the following changes will be implemented to the selective neonatal hepatitis B vaccination programme:

• The offer of a sixth dose of monovalent Hepatitis B vaccine at 1 year of age will be removed.
• Eligible children will receive a fourth dose of DTaP/IPV/Hib/HepB vaccine (in other words, the sixth dose of HepB-containing vaccine) at the new 18-month routine vaccination appointment.
• Dry blood spot (DBS) or serology test (blood test) for hepatitis B surface antigen should be undertaken between 12 and 18 months of age.

From 1 January 2026

Introduction of an additional (fourth dose) of DTaP/IPV/Hib/HepB (hexavalent) vaccine at a new routine appointment at 18 months for children born on or after 1 July 2024.

The second MMR dose will move from 3 years 4 months to the new routine 18-month appointment for children born on or after 1 July 2024.

JCVI recommendations

The UK Heath Security Agency's Immunisation Against Infectious Disease collection, popularly known as the 'Green Book' contains chapters on vaccine-preventable infectious diseases in the UK.

These chapters are updated as necessary to reflect the current policies and procedures as advised by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).

The updated chapters of relevance to the phase one 1 July 2025 changes to the routine and selective childhood vaccination schedules are available.

National specimen patient group direction (PGD)

National specimen PGD templates have been produced to support the phase one 1 July 2025 changes to the childhood schedule:

• administration of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) (Prevenar 13®)
• administration of meningococcal group B vaccine (Bexsero®) to prevent meningitis B disease
• administration of Haemophilus influenzae type b and meningococcal C conjugate vaccine (Hib/MenC)
• administration of hepatitis B vaccine for non-renal, non-travel indications
• administration of DTaP/IPV/Hib/HepB vaccine

Please refer to your locally approved PGD alongside the training materials from NHS National Education for Scotland (NES).

View all our patient group direction templates.

Informed consent materials

Public Health Scotland (PHS) has developed resources to support the workforce to:

• be fully informed about the changes to the routine and selective childhood programmes
• support vaccine confidence and equity
• be an aid to informed conversations about the vaccines

This includes information to support informed consent for the routine and selective childhood programmes, aiming to support confident conversations about the vaccines being offered to children across Scotland. 

Information leaflets are available in English and alternative languages and formats (such as British Sign Language, Audio and Easy Read).

Resources for professionals

View our baby and child immunisation resources.

Resources for the public

View the immunising your child information on NHS inform.

Workforce education materials

To help support practitioners involved directly with the childhood vaccination programmes, NES and PHS have made available workforce education resources.

These include eLearning, tables and slides.

Access the childhood immunisation schedule learning resources on NES TURAS Learn.

In addition, a vaccine conversations TURAS Learn page  has been developed to help practitioners who may have an opportunity to have supportive conversations with the public in relation to vaccination, including health visitors, pharmacists and midwives among others.

These pages will include illustrative animations and signpost to additional learning.

View the vaccination conversations TURAS Learn page.

Vaccine-preventable disease surveillance data

On 10 June 2025, Public Health Scotland (PHS) published its second annual vaccination and immunisation report.

The report will be of interest to everyone that contributes to the delivery of Scotland’s vaccination and immunisation programme.

It reviews the activities undertaken in 2024 and offers insight from the successes and challenges of the country’s largest coordinated public health programme.

Find out more about the annual vaccination and immunisation report for 2024.

Vaccine supply

Routine vaccines

There are currently no issues with vaccines for the routine vaccination programmes.

Please ensure you hold stocks sufficient for two weeks supply locally.

If you have any queries around ordering limits or supply issues, please contact your local vaccine holding centre.

Non-routine vaccines

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) publishes an update on supplies for the non-routine vaccine programmes.

It is available in the UKHSA vaccine update: issue 358, May 2025 as well as in the following section. ​

Subscribe to the Scottish Vaccine Update

The Scottish Vaccine Update provides regular, up-to-date information for Scotland’s vaccination workforce.

We aim to keep healthcare practitioners informed on the latest activity within each of the vaccine programmes.

If you subscribe to our mailing list, we will send you a notification when a new issue of the Scottish Vaccine Update has been published.