Vaccine eligibility
The Green book Chapter 22 provides detailed information on meningococcal disease and the vaccination schedule. The NHS England Q&As below also summarise MenB eligibility.
Individuals (including those who are new to the UK) who have missed the opportunity to receive their adolescent dose of MenACWY (usually offered around the age of 14 years) should be offered a dose up to their 25th birthday.
Checking vaccine eligibility
For queries on a child’s vaccination status, NHS England asks practices to:
- Check all eligible patient immunisation records have been updated following notification of vaccination events.
- Opportunistically check for and offer missing Meningitis vaccinations or other missing vaccines.
- Assume unimmunised: in the absence of a documented or reliable record, the current guidelines advise assuming the individual is unimmunised and should be provided the necessary vaccinations.
School Age Immunisation Service (SAIS) providers in London have confirmed that all clinical records of vaccination for adolescent vaccination (including MenACWY) have been sent to GP practices and CHIS. Practices may wish to check that they have uploaded the immunisation event onto the GP clinical record. CHIS are unable to provide confirmation to parents as they are not a patient facing or clinical service. Please do not advise a parent/guardian to contact CHIS or the School-aged service for information about Meningitis vaccination status.
Resources
These resources are for professionals:
- UKHSA/NHS England letter re: the Kent outbreak and antibiotic prophylaxis where a patient presents with Men B.
- UKHSA Meningococcal ACWY programme guidance for professionals.
- UKHSA guidance on public health management of meningococcal disease.
These resources can assist with patient interest and queries about meningococcal disease.
- NHS England meningitis patient information.
- NHS England meningitis vaccination patient information.
- UKHSA media statement on Kent outbreak.
- UKHSA patient information blog on symptoms, risks and preventing meningitis.
Digital assets for websites, social media and messaging apps:
- UKHSA social media image explaining meningitis and septicaemia symptoms.
- UKHSA social media image encouraging people to look out for meningitis symptoms in others.
- North Central London ICB patient information leaflet.
NHS England Q&As for patients
Can meningitis be prevented?
Several vaccines offered free of charge by the NHS can help protect against certain causes of meningitis and septicaemia:
- MenB vaccine: For babies given at 8 weeks, 12 weeks, and 1 year.
- 6-in-1 vaccine: For babies given at 8, 12 and 16 weeks.
- Pneumococcal vaccine: Two doses for babies given at 16 weeks and 1 year; single dose for adults aged 65+.
- Hib/MenC vaccine: For babies given at 1 year (if born on or before 30 June 2024).
- MMR vaccine: For babies given at 1 year, with a second dose at 18 months.
- MenACWY vaccine: For teenagers aged 13 to 14.
The Men B vaccine does not protect against all MenB bacterium types. This is why it is important to raise awareness of signs and symptoms alongside the available vaccines.
Am I protected from MenB by childhood vaccines (MenACWY)?
The MenB vaccine was added to the NHS immunisation schedule for infants in 2015, providing protection for babies and young children in the UK. It is separate from the MenACWY.
If you are a teenager or young adult born before 1 May 2015, you will not have received the MenB vaccine as part of the NHS schedule.
What should I do if I’ve missed my meningitis vaccine?
To get the most benefit, it is important for you or your child to have your vaccines when they are offered or as close to that time as possible. Young children who have missed one or more dose of the MenB vaccine can have this free of charge before their second birthday and missed MMR or MMRV vaccine doses can be given at any age.
Teenagers can arrange to have vaccines they have missed. This is especially important before starting university or college. If that is not possible, they should make arrangements with their new GP as soon as they can after term begins. All GP practices should be able to offer free missed MenACWY to students who are under 25 years as well as MMR vaccines to eligible students. International students in the same age group are also eligible for these routine vaccines.
If you were born before 1 May 2015, there is no NHS catch up programme for the MenB vaccine.
Can I have the MenB vaccine privately?
The MenB vaccine can be accessed privately through high street pharmacies, private GP providers and travel clinics. For those aged over two years, the vaccination course consists of two doses.
Further queries
For queries about the vaccination programme not covered by this information, practices can contact england.londonimms@nhs.net or the ICARS teams for clinical queries at england.london.immunisationqueriescars@nhs.net.