Vaccine resources for health and social care professionals - Vaccine information
Resources on our immunisation and vaccine pages do not replace the clinical judgement of practitioners. Practitioners should refer to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) immunisation against infectious disease (Green Book) for latest information on administering vaccines and vaccination procedures, for vaccine preventable infectious diseases in the UK.
Summary of Product Characteristics (SPC) data sheets and patient leaflets can be searched for on the Electronic Medicines Compendium on the Medicines website. (Click the link, type in the name of the vaccine (e.g. polio) into the search box, then click Go).
Medicines complete (formerly British National Formulary (BNF) and now a part of MedicinesComplete) is also useful for information on specific vaccines/immunoglobulin:
- Access leading drug and healthcare references – MedicinesComplete
- Homepage – BNF Publications
- NITAG systematic reviews
The Oxford Vaccine Group website provides information on vaccines, infectious diseases, vaccine safety and science. The group have produced a useful resource outlining the ingredients in vaccines (vaccine safety and science section).
You can order vaccination leaflets, posters and other resources at Health Information Resources. (Need to update)
National Immunisation Framework for Wales
The National Immunisation Framework for Wales was published by Welsh Government in October 2022. It has been developed to build on the exemplar delivery of vaccination and immunisation programmes and to pave the way for vaccine transformation in Wales. The framework sets out 6 key priority areas of focus: vaccination equity; digitally enabled vaccination; eligibility; public vaccination literacy; deployment; and governance.
Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI)
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) is an independent expert advisory committee that provides immunisation advice to UK health authorities, including vaccination schedules and vaccine safety recommendations. In Wales, it has a statutory responsibility.
The JCVI website contains information, annual reports, meeting minutes, announcements, statements, advice, recommendations, and archived content. To access this information, please visit the UK government website.
Green Book
The Green Book has the latest information on vaccines and vaccination procedures, for vaccine preventable infectious diseases in the UK. To access information about immunisation against infectious disease, please visit the UK government website.
Immunisation schedules
The complete immunisation schedule includes information about routine and non-routine vaccinations.
Schedules: UK and other countries
The UK routine immunisation schedule covers all children and adults. Additional vaccines are recommended for certain high risk individuals e.g. Hep B, BCG, pneumococcal and meningococcal vaccines. For more information please see the relevant chapters of the Green Book.
Vaccine eligibility information in Wales and England may differ for some programmes.
- View the UK Government website for the UK immunisation schedule on the green book, chapter 11.
- View the UK Government website for the revised recommendations for administering more than 1 live vaccine.
- View the UK Government website for the visual guide to vaccines for the routine vaccination programme.
Vaccination of individuals with uncertain or incomplete immunisation status
The links below detail a reminder, based on the Green Book, to help health professionals vaccinate people correctly to protect them and their families from disease.
It’s important to highlight that the advice in relation to Hib/MenC (Menitorix®) is different to Welsh policy. NHS Wales is deploying a ‘hard stop’ so from 1st July 2025, Hib/MenC (Menitorix®)will no longer be included in the childhood immunisation schedule in Wales. Please refer to Welsh Policy Changes to routine childhood and selective neonatal hepatitis B vaccinations on the Welsh government website for further information.
Individuals vaccinated according to a non-UK schedule
If children and adults coming to the UK are not known to have been completely immunised, they should be assumed to be immunised and a full course of immunisations should be planned.
See immunisation schedules in the UK and other countries above for links to immunisation schedules information.
- WHO Immunization Data portal
- Global Immunisation Schedules | Vaccine Knowledge (ox.ac.uk)
- Pinkbook: Epidemiology of Vaccine Preventable Diseases | CDC
- Vaccine preventable disease terms in multiple languages
- Vaccine Scheduler | ECDC (europa.eu)
- Vaccine Product Information – Order Vaccines and Contact Manufacturers (immunize.org)
Immunisation of individuals with underlying medical conditions
Immunisation protocols for post-transplant patients and persons with cancer or leukaemia can be found below:
Adults
Children
Note: Please refer to national childhood immunisation programme changes alongside the following protocol guidance.
- Paediatric post standard chemotherapy immunisation protocol (solid cancers and leukaemia)
- Vaccinations for paediatric patients treated with standard-dose chemotherapy and haemopoietic stem cell transplantation recipients
Immunisation of healthcare and laboratory staff
The Green Book Chapter 12 contains information for public health professionals on immunisation of healthcare and laboratory staff.
Immunisation in pregnancy
Advice for health professionals on pregnant women who are inadvertently vaccinated against chicken pox (varicella), shingles or measles, mumps, rubella.
Vaccine equity
This page includes resources and guidance from Public Health Wales and others to support NHS Wales to reduce inequity and inequalities in vaccine coverage.
Page last reviewed: 13th June 2025