Immunisation

We are pleased to announce the publication of Inclusive Vaccination Practice: Addressing Health Inequalities in Scotland, a new learning resource now available on Turas.

Developed by NHS Education for Scotland in collaboration with Public Health Scotland, this resource supports vaccinators and the wider healthcare workforce to deliver equitable, accessible and person‑centred vaccination services. It brings together practical guidance, real‑world examples and evidence‑informed approaches that can help reduce barriers to vaccination and address health inequalities across Scotland.

The Sway format provides an engaging, accessible way to explore key topics such as health literacy, cultural competence, service accessibility, managing incomplete vaccination histories, and making every contact count.

Access the resource on Turas: Inclusive Vaccination Practice: Addressing Health Inequalities in Scotland

We encourage colleagues across services, teams and education networks to explore the resource and share it widely to support high‑quality, inclusive vaccination practice.

Your feedback is invaluable - please complete the evaluation within the resource to help us continue to enhance and develop learning materials that support the workforce.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to review and provide feedback on the draft Development Framework for Vaccinators. The consultation closed on Monday 9 February 2026.

The Framework was developed by the National Stakeholder Group to support workforce development across Scotland by outlining vaccinator roles, required qualifications, and the essential knowledge, skills, and behaviours (KSBs) for safe and effective practice.

We are now reviewing all feedback received from vaccinators, managers, educators, and organisations. This input will help ensure the final Framework is practical, clear, and aligned with the needs of the vaccination workforce.

Next Steps

• All consultation responses will be analysed.
• The Framework will be refined based on the feedback.
• An updated version will be published once the review process is complete.

Thank you again for your valuable contributions

NES are undertaking an evaluation of the Turas Learn, Vaccination Conversations learning resource which aims to help support all healthcare practitioners, regardless of whether they vaccinate or not, to gain confidence to have compassionate evidence-based conversations about vaccination.

Who should complete this survey?

This survey is aimed at all healthcare workers, regardless of whether you have used the resource or not, as there are a range of questions asking about both experiences of use and reasons for not using it yet.

The survey will take approximately 10 minutes to complete. 

Where do I access the survey?

harlowconsulting.welcomesyourfeedback.net/s/ast2ku


When is the survey open until?

The survey will be open until February 28 2026

Thank you for taking the time to complete this questionnaire. Your contribution is valued and helps us to review and develop our education for the future.

Webinar held on 15th January 2026 covering the following topics:

• Recognise the Scottish context in relation to vaccines for young people, including differences in uptake and vaccination schedules
• Describe the role children’s rights play in vaccinations
• Describe the legal frameworks surrounding vaccines for young people, administration and consent
• Demonstrate an evidence-based approach to taking vaccination consent

Material can be found on the Young people and vaccination consent page.

December 2025

NHS Education for Scotland, in collaboration with Public Health Scotland, has developed an interactive Sway to support safe and effective vaccine administration in adults and young people.

This practical resource covers:

• Professional responsibilities and informed consent
• Evidence-based techniques for intramuscular (IM), subcutaneous (SC), and intradermal (ID) injections
• How to select the correct route, site, and needle size
• Communication strategies to reassure vaccinees and carers
• Documentation, aftercare, and monitoring for adverse reactions

With animations, practical tips, and a knowledge checker, this resource helps build confidence and competence in practice.

Access the Sway now and make every injection count!

November 2025

We’re pleased to announce the publication of a new interactive learning resource designed to support vaccinators across NHS Scotland.

Administering a vaccine by injection in infants and younger children 

This practice resource provides, evidence-based guidance on:

• Correct injection techniques for intramuscular (IM) and subcutaneous (SC) routes
• Effective communication with parents and carers
• Consent requirements under Scottish law
• Safe storage, handling, and documentation

The resource includes animations, tips, and a knowledge checker to help build confidence and competence in practice.

We are pleased to announce that a new learning resource for “Combatting false vaccine information” has been developed and aims to increase understanding of current issues and false information regarding vaccines and to support practitioners to provide trusted evidence-based information and respond to peoples’ fears and concerns. This is to align with the healthcare false information strategy work which is ongoing.

We are pleased to announce that a new learning resource for “Use of meningococcal B vaccination for the prevention of gonorrhoea” is now available at Gonococcal | Turas | Learn. This module is designed to help support healthcare practitioners to identify those at greatest risk of Gonorrhoea infection and to safely and effectively administer the vaccine

This Scottish Vaccine Update provides regular current information, both clinical and programmatic, for Scotland’s vaccination workforce.  The aim of the publication is to keep healthcare practitioners informed on the latest activity within each of the vaccine programmes, whether directly involved with vaccine administration or having conversations about vaccination as part of their role.

Following the NES/PHS live webinar on 17th June we are delighted to say that the recording of that event is now available on Turas Learn for those who were unable to attend. The slides used for the presentation are also available.

Also, as the relevant Green Book Chapters are updated we have been aligning the associated vaccine specific learning resources. Live on the vaccine specific pages are the updated versions of the:

• Hepatitis B for at risk babies' programme
• Diphtheria, Tetanus and Polio containing vaccine programmes
• MenB programme
• Pneumococcal (infant) programme

A new learning resource designed to help equip registered healthcare practitioners with the essential knowledge and skills needed to effectively deliver the MMR vaccination programme.

The JCVI advises on UK vaccination policy. With the discontinuation of Menitorix® (Hib/MenC), key changes to the childhood immunisation schedule include:

• At 18 months: An additional Hib-containing vaccine dose and the second MMR dose (moved forward from 3 years 4 months).
• At 12 months: Removal of the MenC vaccine dose.

These changes take effect from July 2025 (Menitorix® withdrawal) for the 12 month cohort and January 2026 (new 18-month visit).

For full details, see the JCVI statement. NES/PHS will hold a webinar on the changes to the national childhood immunisation schedule  on Tuesday 17 June 2025 13.00 to 14.00. Access the event leaflet for more information and registration here

Keep up to date on what's new in vaccination workforce education relating to the latest updates on upcoming changes to the childhood immunisation schedule.

We are excited to announce the launch of a new eLearning module, Vaccination in Pregnancy. This module is designed to support healthcare practitioners in Scotland who administer vaccines to pregnant women or discuss vaccination as part of their role. It complements detailed resources on Turas Learn covering pertussis, RSV, and influenza, and helps build confidence in communicating benefits and addressing common concerns. Explore the resource now on Turas

To help support practitioners, NHS Education for Scotland/Public Health Scotland have revised and updated the Core COVID-19 vaccination eLearning (will be published Monday 24th March) and the vaccine specific learning resources. A short update learning resource, including details on eligibility for the programme and the vaccines being deployed, has also been developed.

The content continues to align with JCVI statements, Green Book Chapter and CMO letters. Practitioners should ensure they have access to the current versions of these resources.

We’re excited to introduce a new resource on Turas designed to support the wider healthcare workforce in their vital role in vaccination efforts. Whether you’re a GP, nurse, midwife, pharmacist, or another healthcare professional, you play a crucial part in building vaccine confidence, addressing barriers to access, and improving uptake in communities.

This new resource provides:

• Key insights from Scotland’s 5-Year Vaccination and Immunisation Framework
• Guidance on how to have effective vaccine conversations
• Tools to support individuals with specific needs, such as neurodivergence or needle phobias

By fostering informed and empathetic discussions, you can help protect communities, reduce health inequalities, and strengthen Scotland’s vaccination efforts.

Explore the resource now on our Turas pages.

RSV is a common respiratory virus that generally causes mild illness with cold-like symptoms. Most cases recover after 2–3 weeks, but RSV can cause severe illness in some people, including newborns, infants, and older adults, leading to complications and hospitalisation.

These learning resources have been designed to help equip registered healthcare practitioners with the essential knowledge and skills needed to effectively deliver the RSV immunisation programmes.

You will also find a resource on Selective RSV Immunisation for High-Risk Infants and Young Children, which focuses on the monoclonal antibody programme for babies at increased risk of severe RSV disease.

Whether you are new to RSV vaccination or seeking to enhance your expertise, these materials provide up-to-date guidance, best practices, and key insights to support safe and effective immunisation. You will find this resource on Turas at Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) | Turas | Learn.