North West health leaders urge parents to get their children protected and be HPV aware this week
Health leaders in the North West are urging parents of 12 and 13 year-olds to ensure they consent to their children having the HPV vaccine, as the NHS raises awareness this week, following HPV awareness day (4 March 2024).
Latest data shows that in the North West fewer than 75% of girls, and fewer than 70% of boys are fully vaccinated by year 10, leaving them unprotected against the HPV virus which can be the cause of some cancers.
Vaccinating both girls and boys against HPV in schools and community clinics is helping the NHS reach its pledge to eliminate cervical cancer by 2040.
Following updated guidance last year, the NHS updated its HPV vaccination programme to a single dose instead of two doses for most under 25s, making it easier than ever for young people and parents of 12-13 year olds to ensure they are protected.
Last year, the NHS pledged to eliminate cervical cancer by 2040, but this relies on as many young people as possible having the potentially life-saving HPV vaccination, alongside increasing cervical screening uptake.
Although there was an increase in the number of young people fully vaccinated in the North West, at the end of the last academic year, almost 25,000 year 10s were not fully vaccinated against HPV.
Tricia Spedding, Deputy Head of Public Health at NHS England – North West said: “Now that the HPV vaccine has moved to just a single dose for under-25s, it’s easier than ever to get your children protected.
“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, and since its introduction, the HPV vaccine is already thought to have saved thousands of lives.
“The NHS in the North West is urging parents to keep an eye out for the consent form, and consent to having the HPV vaccine if their children aren’t up to date. This vaccination is saving lives.”
the HPV vaccine programme is delivered routinely in school in year 8 but anyone who is eligible and has missed the vaccine can have it as a catch up in school, or if they have left school, they can request from the GP up to their 25th birthday.
Alongside its vaccination drive, the NHS is urging women to come for their routine cervical screening, which is also essential to achieving the ambition of elimination by 2040.
NHS screening helps prevent cervical cancer by using a highly effective test to check for high-risk HPV, which may cause abnormal cells to develop in the cervix. These abnormal cells can, over time, turn into cancer if left untreated.
If you are concerned that you or your child has missed out on the HPV vaccine, please contact your child’s school nurse, school aged vaccination service or GP surgery to find out more.