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In order to achieve this it was considered necessary in May, 1953,
to implement a new policy in the Area with the intention of combating
any tendency on the part of parents to the complacent attitude that it
was no longer necessary to have their children immunised against
diphtheria.
The following is the outline of the scheme which was then put into
operation and which is continuing in use.
Primary Immunisation
1. Doctors and health visitors are asked to make a particular point
of enquiring of all mothers attending welfare centres whether
their children have been immunised, and as more than 85% of
children born attend in their first year of life, the aim must be to
secure the immunisation of most of this number.
2. Immunisation sessions are held at least monthly at all welfare
centres (twice a month at the larger ones).
3. Immunisation sessions are on an appointment basis, although
no child who attends without an appointment is refused immunisation.
The appointment system has been devised to operate as
follows :—
(a) Appointments to commence a course of injections are sent
out by reference to the birth register as soon as a child
reaches the age of six months.
(b) Non-attenders are given a second appointment.
(c) Failure to attend at the second opportunity is followed up
by the health visitor.
(d) Children who do not return for second or third injections
are sent further appointments and followed up by the health
visitor to ensure completion of the course.
(e) All completed courses are noted against the child's name in
the birth register and if there is no entry by the time a child
is a year old the name is notified to the health visitor for
further follow-up.
4. Graphs and statistics are prepared at regular intervals and widely
distributed to foster a spirit of competition between different
centres and health visitors.
Boosting Injections
1. The aim is to secure that all children receive a boosting injection
in their first year at a primary school. Letters to parents of all
new entrants are distributed through the schools.
2. When the necessary consents have been received in response to
these letters, sessions are arranged at the schools when a doctor
attends to carry out all immunisations necessary.
It became apparent during the year, from information supplied by
health visitors, that a number of children were leaving the Area before
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