Reception to Year 9 flu clinics are now closed. More information about when clinics open again in the autumn this year will be shared here. 

You need to book into these clinics, as we do not do walk-ins.

This is a nasal spray not an injection for most pupils. 

How to book

You will have received an offer letter by email from your child’s school with a link to the flu clinics. If you do not have access to the original offer email, you can phone the main SAIS office on 01425 891162 or email dhc.immsenquiries@nhs.net and book your child in when clinics open. 

Clinics are open to all pupils from school year 7-9 and start from Friday 6 january 2023.

Look out for the offer letter in your emails from your school, click the link to consent and book your child into a clinic at the school. 

If you need support to book or have any queries about the upcoming clinics dates please phone the main office on 01425 891162 or email dhc.immsenquiries@nhs.net

Eligible students for HPV (Human papilloma virus) are in Year 8 onwards: girls born after 1 September 1991 boys born after 1 September 2006.

The HPV programme will start towards the end of January through to March 2023. 

For pupils in Years 9 and 10, and any Year 11's who have not already received this vaccination.

The programme will start in March 2023. Please look out for the offer letter from your child’s school in February.

If your child is absent from school on the day of the immunisation, and you have completed the consent form for the vaccination, you will be emailed a link to arrange an immunisation appointment in a local community venue.

To ensure your child is vaccinated you are required to give consent. Our service works on a digital consent process. This enables parents, carers and guardians to give consent on any device, including a smart phone. 

If we do not have consent via the online consent form your child will not be vaccinated.

Going digital allows us to send confirmation, reminders and inform you by email once your child has been vaccinated. You may receive this from our partner, Inhealthcare Technology. If you have any query about these please contact the School Age Immunisation Service as Inhealthcare are unable to respond to queries direct from service users. All e-mails will still include Dorset HealthCare branding so that you can be sure they are genuine, except the initial verification email.

For parents who do not have access to the internet, the service will be able to complete the consent form over the telephone with the person who has parental responsibility. 

School educated

All the information you need will be given to you by your child’s school through their normal communication methods

Home-educated

For children who do not attend school, a letter or email will be sent to the person who has parental responsibility to complete the on line digital consent process and book an immunisation appointment in a local community venue.

If you have any problems with providing online consent, get in touch via our enquiry form. 

If you have received your offer letter and want to register your child or young person for a vaccination click here to find out more and provide consent.

If your child is eligible for a COVID-19 seasonal booster or has yet to receive their core booster. You can book online via the National Booking Service at any of our local clinics offering children's jabs.

Visit our COVID-19 vaccination page for more information. 

Immunisations are a very important part of maintaining health, not just for children but also for the entire population.

Influenza (flu)

The flu vaccine can protect children against the strains of seasonal influenza. 

With COVID-19 in circulation, having the flu vaccine is more important than ever to help reduce the number of those becoming ill with flu this winter to help protect them and the NHS.

Symptoms of flu include fever, chills, aching muscles, headache, stuffy nose, dry cough and a sore throat, which can be easily caught in a school environment. Being vaccinated against flu can also lessen the risk of some of our older, frail and at risk adults catching the virus. 

The flu vaccine is offered to all children from reception to year 9 and all young people in special education schools up to 25yrs.

The vaccine is given as a single spray squirted up each nostril. Not only is it needle-free – a big advantage for children – the nasal spray is quick and painless. The vaccine is absorbed very quickly. It will still work even if, after the vaccination, your child develops a runny nose, sneezes or blows their nose.

For children who are unable to have the nasal spray, we are able to offer the injectable vaccine this year.

For more inforamation read the relevant NHS leaflet below:

- for parents and carers of preschool and primary school-aged children

- for those in school years 7 to 11

Tetanus/Diphtheria/Polio (TdIPV)

The TdIPV vaccine, also known as the 3-in-1 teenage booster is given to increase protection against three diseases – tetanus, diphtheria and polio.

It’s given to children in year 9 as a single injection into the muscle of the upper arm.

For more information read the NHS leaflet.

Meningitis ACWY (MenACWY)

The MenACWY vaccine protects against four common groups of meningococcal disease – MenA, MenC, MenW and MenY. The disease is rare but life-threatening and caused by meningococcal bacteria.

It’s given to children in school year’s 9 or 10 (aged 13-15 years) in the upper arm.

For more information read the NHS leaflet.

Human Papillomavirus (HPV)

The HPV vaccine helps protect against human papillomavirus (HPV). This virus increases the risk of developing some cancers later in life, such as: cervical cancer, some mouth and throat cancers and some cancers of the anus and genital areas.

The HPV vaccine has been offered to all girls in school year 8 for over ten years. Since September 2019 the vaccine has also been offered to year 8 boys. This is because the evidence is clear that the HPV vaccine helps protect both boys and girls from HPV-related cancers.

It is given in the arm and children need two doses to be fully protected. The first injection is given in year 8 and the second one usually 6 to 12 months later when they are in year 9

For more information read the NHS leaflet.

Click here for a copy of the Public Health England (PHE) 'A guide to Immunisations for young people'. 

For further information on all childhood vaccines visit the NHS website.

Dorset HealthCare will automatically contact and send email communication in connection with our immunisation service to one parent or guardian only. This will be to the parent that has identified themselves as the main point of contact or where they have been identified to the Trust as the parent or guardian with parental responsibility on a child’s medical record.

The Trust cannot copy other parents or guardians into any communication about their child’s immunisation as a matter of routine.  Where custody or parental responsibility is decided by a court or in the process of being decided by a court the Trust will rely on the judgement or direction of the court or responsible Local Authority where the child is a Looked After Child under local authority.

Explaining PPE to children during COVID-19