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Changes to the Childhood Immunisation Schedule

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The changes to the routine childhood immunisation schedule are designed to provide even better protection for babies and young children across the UK. These updates are based on the latest medical advice and will come into effect in phases, starting from July 2025, with further adjustments from January 2026.

Our priority is always to ensure your child receives the best possible protection against preventable diseases. We understand that changes to schedules can sometimes lead to questions, and we’re here to help.

What’s Changed from 1st July 2025?

Here’s a summary of the key modifications to the vaccination programme:

  • Meningitis B (MenB) Vaccine:
    • Old Schedule: Given at 8 weeks and 16 weeks.
    • New Schedule: Now given at 8 weeks and 12 weeks. This change aims to protect babies earlier, when they are most vulnerable to this serious infection.
  • Pneumococcal (PCV13) Vaccine:
    • Old Schedule: Given at 12 weeks.
    • New Schedule: Now given at 16 weeks. This adjustment helps to reduce the number of injections administered at the 12-week appointment, making it more comfortable for your baby.
  • Hib/MenC Vaccine:
    • This vaccine will be phased out for children born after 1st July 2024 due to the reduced need for it within the updated schedule.
  • Hepatitis B (selective group only):
    • For babies identified as being at risk of Hepatitis B, the final dose will now be included in the new 18-month appointment, rather than requiring a separate booster at 12 months.
  • Introducing a New 18-Month Appointment (from January 2026):
    • For babies born after 1st July 2024, a significant new appointment will be introduced at 18 months of age.
    • This appointment will include:
      • A booster vaccine (hexavalent) to provide continued protection.
  • The second dose of the MMR (Measles, Mumps, and Rubella) vaccine, if not already given at the 3 year 4-month appointment.

What Stays the Same?

  • 8-week appointment:
    • There are no changes to the vaccines given at the 8-week appointment.
  • 3 year 4-month appointment:
    • This appointment will still include the dTaP/IPV (diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis, and inactivated polio) vaccine and the second MMR dose, if it hasn’t been administered at the 18-month appointment.

Why are These Changes Being Made?

These updates to the childhood immunisation schedule are being implemented to:

  • Protect babies earlier when they are most at risk from certain diseases.
  • Simplify the overall vaccine schedule, making it easier to follow.
  • Reduce the number of injections given at individual visits, improving the experience for young children and their parents.

Where Can You Find More Information?

We understand you may have questions about these changes. Our team is available to discuss the updated schedule with you and address any concerns you may have.

For comprehensive information on all childhood immunisations and the updated schedule, please visit the official NHS vaccinations website:

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Annual GP Patient Survey Results: 2025

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The annual GP Patient Survey Results have been published, and we are pleased to share our results!

Thank you to everyone who took the time to respond.

Our workload and demand is heavier than ever, and the General Practice environment is challenging and ever-changing. The whole team are working as hard as they possibly can, and we will continue to strive to offer the best service to all our patients

Full Report here...

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GP Net Earnings: Updated

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NHS England require that the net earnings of doctors engaged in the practice is publicised, and the required disclosure is shown below.  However it should be noted that the prescribed method for calculating earnings is potentially misleading because it takes no account of how  much time doctors spend working in the practice, and should not be  used to form any judgement about GP earnings, nor to make any  comparison with any other practice.

 All GP practices are required to declare the mean earnings (e.g.  average pay) for GPs working to deliver NHS services to patients at  each practice.

The average pay for GPs working in this practice in the last full financial year was £129,183 before Tax and National insurance. This is for three full time GP, two part time GPs and one locum GP who worked in the practice for more than six months.

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ADHD/Autism/Gender Dysphoria Shared Care Agreements with private providers

ADHD/Autism/Gender Dysphoria Shared Care Agreements with private providers (Effective from 1 March 2025)

Sometimes the care of a patient is shared between two doctors, usually a GP and a specialist, and there is a formalised written ‘shared care agreement’ setting out the position of each, to which both parties have willingly agreed. Where these arrangements are in place, GP providers can arrange the prescriptions and appropriate investigations, and the results are fully dealt with by clinicians with the necessary competence under the shared care arrangement. There is NHS guidance available about this.

Shared Care with private providers is not recommended due to the general NHS constitution principle of keeping as clear a separation as possible between private and NHS care. Shared Care is currently set up as an NHS service, and entering into a shared care arrangement may have implications around governance and quality assurance as well as promoting health inequalities. A private patient seeking access to shared care should therefore have their care completely transferred to the NHS. Shared care may be appropriate where private providers are providing commissioned NHS services and where appropriate shared care arrangements are in place.

All shared care arrangements are voluntary, so even where agreements are in place, practices can decline shared care requests on clinical and capacity grounds. The responsibility for the patient’s care and ongoing prescribing then remains the responsibility of the private provider.

If you are under the care of a private specialist, we will not be able to enter into a shared care agreement. You can ask us to refer you to an in-person NHS mental health team, but while waiting to see them, you will need to obtain your treatment from your private specialist directly.

The above statement also applies to Third party providers working under right to choose.

We will not carry out tests that private providers want you to have, any tests that private providers need to be done must be completed by them. The Right to Choose providers are also commissioned to do things like physical checks and blood tests and therefore this is also something that they should provide. If they are an online/remote provider, you will need to discuss this fully with them on how to proceed.

If you have started treatment with a private provider, you will either need to:

    • approach the Practice to request a referral to an NHS specialist
    • or continue to receive your treatment directly from your private provider indefinitely

Please note that there may be a significant delay in having your diagnosis reviewed by the NHS team and them agreeing to participate in a shared care agreement. During this time, you will need to continue to receive your treatment directly from your private provider. The Practice is not able or obliged in any way to provide a “bridging” prescription.

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Our New Phone System goes Live

**Patient Notice**

On Wednesday 23 October we will be going live with our new phone system. Our new phone system has extra features such as:

    • Patient call back: If we are experiencing a high volume of calls, you may be offered a call back. The system holds your position in the queue and you receive a call back from the practice when you are next in line.
    • Computer system integration: If your telephone number is linked to your practice electronic records, this will help the system to link to your medical notes when you call the practice.

Once implemented further features can be added/removed to enable a smoother service for our patients.

We kindly request your patience at this time 🙏🏻
Thank you

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Mental Health Crisis

There is now a simpler way for people to find the right support in a mental health crisis. If you, or someone you know, is experiencing a mental health crisis, you can now call NHS 111 and select option 2 for 24/7 access to crisis mental health support. We’re here for you 24/7

Click below ⇓ to go to our Mental Health Crisis page for more information:

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