Childhood vaccines to be delivered at home in £2m bid to boost uptake
Under the scheme, health visiting teams will be able to vaccinate children as part of routine visits, rather than requiring families to attend GP surgeries.
By JONATHAN NEAL, HEALTH REPORTER
Published: 08:16 GMT, 1 January 2026 | Updated: 08:20 GMT, 1 January 2026
Health visitors will begin offering childhood vaccinations during home visits under a £2 million NHS pilot designed to improve uptake among families who fail to attend GP appointments.
The year–long trial, launching in mid-January, will run across twelve pilot schemes in five regions of England – London, the Midlands, the North East and Yorkshire, the North West and the South West.
It targets families who have fallen behind on routine childhood immunisations due to barriers such as travel costs, childcare pressures, language difficulties or a lack of GP registration.
Under the scheme, health visiting teams will be able to vaccinate children as part of routine visits, rather than requiring families to attend GP surgeries.
Ministers say this will help ensure more children receive protection against preventable diseases.
However, some professionals have warned that workforce pressures could limit how quickly such plans can be scaled up, warning of a national shortage and wide disparities in health visitor provision across England.
Health visitors are specialist public health nurses who support families with children under five, offering advice on child development, feeding and family health through a mix of home visits and clinic appointments.
While the pilot is not intended to replace GP-led vaccination services, it is designed to act as a safety net.
Health visitors will begin offering childhood vaccinations during home visits under a £2 million NHS pilot designed to boost uptake among families who struggle to access GP services
Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said: 'Every parent deserves the chance to protect their child from preventable diseases, but some families have a lot going on and that can mean they miss out,' he said.
He added that health visitors are 'trusted faces' in communities and well placed to reach families most in need of support.
Health visitors taking part in the pilot will receive additional training, including how to administer vaccines safely and how to handle difficult conversations with parents who have concerns or doubts about vaccination.
Families eligible for the scheme will be identified by the NHS using GP records, health visitor notes and local data.
The government says the pilot forms part of a wider effort to tackle health inequalities and raise vaccination rates.