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Vaccines to be made accessible to struggling Yorkshire families

Friday, 2 January 2026 16:06

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Health visitors in Yorkshire will be taking part in a new pilot scheme that aims to make childhood vaccinations more accessible for families facing barriers to getting to a GP surgery.

The programme, part of a wider government initiative to raise immunisation rates, will launch from mid-January and includes areas across Yorkshire.

The £2 million pilot will see trained health visitors offering vaccines during routine visits to families, helping to reach those who may struggle with travel costs, childcare commitments, language barriers or who are not registered with a GP.

The aim of the scheme is to ensure more children receive protection against serious diseases by removing obstacles that can prevent some families from accessing routine immunisation services.

It builds on concerns about falling vaccination rates in recent years, when none of the main childhood vaccines across England met the World Health Organization’s 95 per cent coverage target for community protection.

The pilot will run for around 12 months, with plans for evaluation before any wider rollout across the country is considered from 2027.

Families are still encouraged to use their local GP surgeries for vaccinations where possible, as the pilot is designed to supplement rather than replace traditional services.

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