National Assembly Committee warns against complacency over Measles vaccinations

16 August 2013

A National Assembly Committee is warning that around 30,000 children in Wales still need to receive both doses of the Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccination.

The call comes in a letter from the Health and Social Care Committee to the Health Minister, Mark Drakeford AM, which examines the handling of the Measles outbreak in Swansea earlier this year.

In noting that effective and decisive action which was taken by the Welsh Government, health bodies and local authorities during the epidemic, the Committee believes there is a clear need to avoid complacency between outbreaks and that it is vital that people are aware of the importance of vaccinating against Measles, Mumps and Rubella.

The Committee heard that Measles, Mumps and Rubella are almost seen as Victorian diseases and many people underestimate their severity. The Committee calls on the Welsh Government and Public Health Wales to determine the best methods of raising awareness of the need to have the MMR jab.

The Committee also encourages the Welsh Government to explore the possibility of introducing a ‘health passport’ for frontline medical staff that would detail which vaccinations they have while also encouraging them to stay on top of their immunisations.

Concerns were raised during evidence about the effectiveness of information sharing systems in Wales. Incompatible IT systems were highlighted and evidence suggested that health professionals did not always have access to the most up-to-date information about their patients’ vaccination history. The Committee believes more needs to be done to improve information handling and IT connectivity.

“The recent Measles outbreak showed the danger of being complacent about the need to achieve and maintain the highest rates of vaccination among the general public,” said David Rees AM, Chair of the Health and Social Care Committee.

“It is a timely reminder that vaccinations at an early age are vital and that people must be made aware of the possible consequences of not having them.

“While we commend the positive action that the Welsh Government, Public Health Wales, other health services and partner organisations took once the outbreak was confirmed, the Committee is adamant that there is no room for complacency now that this particular incident has been contained.

“We were told that there are still approximately 30,000 children in Wales in need of both doses of the MMR jab and we urge the Welsh Government and Public Health Wales to address that statistic with urgency.”