What does this service provide?

Who we are

We are a team of nurses, midwives, assistants, and administrative staff, dedicated to increasing the uptake of immunisations for children in Sussex.

What we do

We offer school-age vaccinations to all children attending schools in East Sussex, West Sussex and Brighton and Hove. Vaccinations take place within the child’s own school, and we also offer catch-ups for any missed vaccinations in our community clinics.

The immunisations we offer in school include:

• Human Papillomavirus (HPV), which is given in school year 8

• Meningitis ACWY, and Tetanus, Diphtheria, Polio (teenage booster) which are given in school year 9

• Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR), children have the 1st dose when they're 1 year old and the second when they're between 3 years 4 months and 5 years old. MMR is also offered as catch-up in school years 8 and above

• Influenza (flu) is given in school years reception to year 6 every year, and additional older year groups are decided annually

You can find frequently asked questions on these immunisations in the resources section.

In addition to this, we also offer BCG vaccination for tuberculosis to targeted babies within strict inclusion criteria.


Appointment information

Appointment types

We offer pre-bookable appointments, which can take place after school, during school holidays and some Saturdays. They can be booked online or over the telephone.

Our BCG clinics are usually held during the school day as these are offered to babies who do not yet attend school.


How can I access this service?

We offer our service to all children attending a school in East Sussex, West Sussex, Brighton and Hove and to school-aged children living within these areas who do not attend school.

Sussex GPs can refer children aged 0–19 to our service where they have been unsuccessful in vaccinating the child within their practice.

For BCG referrals, we offer a targeted service to babies born at specific hospitals in Sussex (where BCG is not offered by maternity services) or who were born outside of Sussex but are registered with a Sussex GP.

If you need further information regarding additional referral criteria for BCG patients, please contact our team – the details can be found in our ‘who to contact for more information’ section.

Where can I get a vaccination consent form for my child?

Parents or carers are sent information by email via their school (or the local authority if the child does not attend a school). You can then submit your consent preferences online or call our local neighbourhood immunisation team to complete a consent form over the phone – see ‘who to contact for more information’ for contact details. Consent must be submitted by a person with legal parental or delegated responsibility for the child.

Please fill in the online consent form for your child, you will need their unique school code. If you don’t have this, please ask your school. You can also use the same link to indicate your choice if you do not wish your child to be vaccinated.

Once you have submitted a consent form, you will receive an email confirming your consent preference. If you have given consent for your child to be vaccinated, they will be offered their vaccination in school. If the immunisation session for this academic year at your child’s school has already passed, you will be sent a link via email to book a clinic appointment instead.


Where can I access this service?

Where your vaccination appointment will take place

We offer vaccinations in many different locations, including schools, children’s centres, polyclinics, hired community venues and hospitals.

We have 6 local neighbourhood teams within Sussex, based in Chichester, Worthing, Brighton, Crawley, Uckfield, and Heathfield.

The majority of vaccinations are offered within the child’s own school. If your child misses their opportunity to receive their vaccination in school, you will receive an email directing you to our e-consent platform, where you can book a clinic appointment at a venue of your choice.

For BCG vaccinations, you will receive a letter by post inviting you to attend one of our clinics, with details of the clinic location.

Opening hours

Our offices are open Monday to Friday, from 8:00am to 4:00pm, but we also offer catch-up clinics later in the evening and on some Saturdays to enable working parents to attend clinic appointments with their children.

Contact details

Brighton
Contact details
Telephone: 01273 696 011 extension 3789
Chichester
Contact details
Telephone: 01273 696 011 extension 8100
Crawley
Contact details
Telephone: 01273 696011 extension 2043
Heathfield
Contact details
Telephone: 01273 696 011 extension 2080
Uckfield
Contact details
Telephone: 01273 696 011 extension 4931
Worthing
Contact details
Telephone: 01273 696 011 extension 8533

Where can I find resources for this service?

NHS vaccinations – NHS website page providing information on NHS vaccination programmes, the diseases they protect against, safety data and more.

Flu vaccinations - frequently asked questions

Frequently asked questions about flu vaccinations

Immunisations

HPV vaccinations - frequently asked questions

Frequently asked questions about HPV vaccinations

Immunisations

MMR - Measles, Mumps and Rubella vaccinations - frequently asked questions

Frequently asked questions on Measles, Mumps and Rubella vaccinations

Immunisations

Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Polio and Meningitis vaccinations – frequently asked questions

Frequently Asked Questions on Td/IPV and MenACWY vaccinations

Immunisations

Get the best from your NHS

If you need advice about our services, facilities or staff, or would like to make a comment, please contact Patient Advice and Liaison Services (PALS).

Contact details

You can contact PALS by the following:

Telephone: 01273 242 292

Give feedback

Tell us what you think about our services, what we are good at, where we can improve, and what matters to you? All feedback will be shared anonymously wherever possible, but if you have any questions about this, please ask.