The percentage of the English child population immunised against Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) by their second birthday continues to rise and is closing on the percentage high seen in the mid 1990s, an NHS Information Centre report shows today.

According to NHS Immunisation Statistics, England 2010-11, in 2010-11 89.1 per cent of children in England had received the MMR vaccine by their second birthday, compared to 88.2 per cent in 2009-10.

The report also shows the reported percentage of children vaccinated against other diseases is growing. After a low of 79.9 per cent in 2003-4, the reported percentage of children immunised against MMR has increased in most years. However, the current figure is still slightly lower than in the mid-1990s when over 90 per cent of children received the vaccine, and remains below the World Health Organization (WHO) target of more than 95 per cent.

Regionally in England, the highest percentage of children at two years vaccinated for MMR was in the West Midlands Strategic Health Authority (SHA) at 91.5 per cent. The lowest percentage was in London SHA at 83.8 per cent.

The report, which summarises immunisation coverage as reported by Primary Care Trusts (PCTs), also shows that in England in 2010-11:

• 93.4 per cent of children completed a primary immunisation course against Meningitis C by their first birthday; a rise from 92.7 per cent in 2009-10.
• 94.2 per cent of children reaching their first birthday had completed primary immunisation courses against Diphtheria, Tetanus, Polio, Pertussis and Haemophilus influenzae type b (DTaP/IPV/Hib); a rise from 93.6 per cent in 2009-10.
• 93.6 per cent of children aged 12 months had completed a primary course of Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV), compared to 92.9 per cent in 2009-10.

NHS Information Centre Chief Executive Tim Straughan said: “The percentage of our child population immunised with the MMR vaccine continues to rise. However, even though the figure has reached nearly 90 per cent, it is still below the World Health Organization target of more than 95 per cent.

“While there is understandable interest in MMR, today's report also shows the percentage of children in England immunised with other vaccines, against diseases like Meningitis C, Diphtheria, Tetanus and Polio, has also risen.”

The full immunisation statistics can be found online at www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/immstats1011

Notes to editors

1. The NHS Information Centre for health and social care (The NHS IC) is England's authoritative, central, independent source of health and social care information. It works with a wide range of health and social care providers nationwide to provide the facts and figures that help the NHS and social services run effectively. Its role is to collect data, analyse it and convert it into useful information which helps providers improve their services and supports academics, researcher, regulators and policymakers in their work. The NHS IC also produces a wide range of statistical publications each year across a number of areas including: primary care, health and lifestyles, screening, hospital care, population and geography, social care and workforce and pay statistics.
2. The information in this publication comes from three data sources as follows: The Health Protection Agency (HPA) Health Protection Services (HPS) for information on childhood immunisation coverage at ages one, two and five. This information is collected through the UK Cover of Vaccination Evaluated Rapidly (COVER) data collection for PCTs. The NHS Information Centre (NHS IC) for information about the BCG programme and reinforcing doses of diphtheria, tetanus and polio. This data is collected on the KC50 return from known providers of immunisation services. The Department of Health (DH) for information regarding persons aged 65 and over immunised against seasonal flu. This information is produced in conjunction with the HPA.
3. Currently the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that on a national basis at least 95% of children receive three primary doses of diphtheria, tetanus, polio and pertussis in the first year of life and more than 95% receive one dose of a measles, mumps and rubella vaccine by two years of age.
4. HPV data is not included in this publication but is available at: http://www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/documents/digitalasset/dh_123826.pdf
5. For media enquires please call 0845 257 6990 or contact mediaenquiries@ic.nhs.uk