Better Midlands HPV uptake as vaccination providers increase information and availability
Better information, wider availability and increased use of digital has helped increase levels of HPV (Human Papillomavirus) vaccinations among children in school year 8 in 2024-25.
A bigger proportion of children aged 12 and 13 were vaccinated in 2024-25 compared to 2023-24:
- 73% of girls in Year 8 in the West Midlands compared to 72.76% in 2023-24
- 73.42% of girls in Year 8 in the East Midlands compared to 71.45% in 2023-24
- 67.93% of boys in Year 8 in the West Midlands compared to 67.83% in 2023-24
- 66.96% of boys in Year 8 in the East Midlands compared to 66.2% in 2023-24
Areas such as Herefordshire and Worcestershire have held clinics at weekends and during half-term to allow children who did not get the HPV vaccine at school to catch up, and this has seen uptake among Year 8 girls go from 82.8% to 84.1% and among Year 8 boys from 78.8% to 80.9% in both counties.
In Coventry and Warwickshire an NHS digital system has taken over the process of contacting parents for consent for vaccinations and this has seen uptake among girls in Year 8 increase from 80.6% to 83.3%. Among boys this has increased from 76.4% to 78.5%.
And in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland, vaccination teams have worked hand in hand with local authority public health teams to increase awareness of the importance of HPV vaccination as well as introducing a roving outreach service to allow children to catch up on vaccinations they have missed. This has helped increase the uptake among Year 8 girls from 69.9% to 70.1%.
The HPV vaccine helps protect against a range of cancers, including cervical, head and neck, anal and genital cancers which can affect both boys and girls.
The NHS has pledged to eliminate cervical cancer by 2040 which could save thousands of lives every year in England but this relies on as many young people as possible getting the life saving HPV vaccination and improving cervical screening uptake.
The HPV vaccination in schools when children are in Year 8. Catch up clinics can be available in community settings and families should check with their GP practice to find out more. It is possible to catch up until your 25th birthday.
Below is a table showing uptake in percentage terms for 2024-25 by Integrated Care Board (ICB). It shows coverage for Year 8, Year 9 and Year 10 girls and boys. Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine coverage in England: 2024 to 2025 – GOV.UK
| ICB Name | Year 8 females Dose 1 coverage (%) | Year 8 males Dose 1 coverage (%) | Year 9 females Dose 1 coverage (%) | Year 9 males Dose 1 coverage (%) | Year 10 females Dose 1 coverage (%) | Year 10 males Dose 1 coverage (%) |
| Herefordshire and Worcestershire | 84.1 | 80.9 | 84.1 | 80.4 | 89.8 | 84.9 |
| Birmingham and Solihull | 53.3 | 46.9 | 62.7 | 56.6 | 62.7 | 55.6 |
| Derby and Derbyshire | 78.4 | 72.5 | 77.0 | 71.6 | 82.1 | 74.9 |
| Lincolnshire | 67.6 | 60.3 | 70.9 | 69.2 | 69.9 | 63.4 |
| Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland | 70.1 | 64.4 | 75.7 | 70.2 | 75.9 | 66.6 |
| Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent | 71.1 | 64.8 | 67.0 | 62.6 | 67.7 | 60.7 |
| Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin | 72.9 | 68.5 | 82.6 | 77.8 | 74.6 | 55.9 |
| Northamptonshire | 81.3 | 74.8 | 82.9 | 82.9 | 83.3 | 74.7 |
| Nottingham and Nottinghamshire | 69.7 | 62.8 | 70.8 | 63.6 | 80.0 | 72.5 |
| Black Country | 73.3 | 68.0 | 72.7 | 68.6 | 67.6 | 63.1 |
| Coventry and Warwickshire | 83.3 | 78.5 | 87.2 | 85.0 | 85.6 | 80.4 |