Six ‘stubborn’ barriers stopping parents from vaccinating their children
The reasons parents aren’t vaccinating their children
- UK childhood vaccination rates have declined over the past decade, with none of the routine jabs meeting the 95 per cent coverage target since 2021, putting children at risk of preventable diseases.
- A new report by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health identifies "stubborn barriers" to vaccination beyond just hesitancy, including difficulties booking appointments, inconvenient clinic locations, and lack of continuity in NHS care.
- The study also highlights issues such as a lack of reminders from GP surgeries, absence of digital records, and fear of judgment among parents.
- Disparities in vaccine uptake are noted among ethnic minority groups, socio-economically disadvantaged families, and migrant communities due to language barriers and digital exclusion.
- Recommendations include better training for health professionals, increased pro-vaccine messaging on social media, mandatory vaccination education in schools, and improving access through flexible booking and wider clinic availability.