Agreement on childhood vaccination schedule

The National Association of General Practitioners (NAGP) has welcomed the intervention of Minister Simon Harris who has announced that agreement has been reached to deliver the new Childhood Vaccination Schedule.

While not party to the negotiations on the new vaccine schedule,the GPs’ association sought the intervention of the Minister for Health to avoid a potential delay in commencement. The new schedule will include the Meningococcal B and Rotavirus vaccines for new-borns.

NAGP president,Dr Emmet Kerin, said, “I welcome the announcement that the new Childhood Vaccination Schedule will proceed as planned, following agreement on the terms and conditions for delivery. The NAGP campaigned for the introduction of the Meningococcal B vaccine and were disappointed in the lack of engagement by the HSE with GP representative bodies. I commend the IMO on the tenacity with which they pursued the timely delivery of this life-saving vaccine and ensuring the adequate resourcing of this additional service”.

Dr Kerin continued, “I welcome the minister’s comments today (Tuesday) that he will engage in ‘positive and constructive dialogue’ with GPs to develop ‘a new and modernised GP contract’. The NAGP looks forward to being part of this process to deliver an urgently needed contract that will ensure the viability of general practice”.