Photo courtesy Mat Napo on Unsplash
This programme is unique in the childhood immunisation programme because actually what we are doing here is vaccinating these babies against a disease to which they have already been exposed so the timeliness of these vaccines is absolutely vital.
A review of the hepatitis B antenatal screening and neonatal immunisation pathways has clearly illustrated that an integrated approach is essential to the effective delivery of linked programmes, particularly at the point of handover of care from one service to another.
Women living with hepatitis B do not tend to have ‘loud voices’. We must be their advocates and support them throughout their pregnancy journey and beyond.
“Even though we are classified as a low prevalence country we must continue to strive for optimum delivery of equitable care for all to address inequalities” – a PHE and NHS England and Improvement priority.
Watch the video presentation ‘The hepatitis B antenatal screening and selective neonatal immunisation quality improvement project: improving the quality of care of women with hepatitis B in pregnancy and their babies‘ from Pat Schan & David Green, Public Health England.