I was pleased to meet with NHS England and the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) in Parliament recently to mark Westminster Vaccination Day.

It was great to meet with experts from across the NHS and the life sciences industry to discuss how we can work together to encourage uptake and boost coverage of life-saving vaccinations protecting against HPV (human papillomavirus), MMR (measles, mumps and rubella), flu, and more.

This year, the NHS are running a catch-up campaign focused on the HPV vaccination, aiming to reach patients who missed receiving it in school and remain under 25 years old. HPV is linked to over 90% of cervical cancers in England, but getting vaccinated also better protects everyone against a range of head, neck and penile cancers.

HPV vaccination coverage has been in decline since the pandemic and for year 10 students in Luton currently sits at 57.1% for girls and 49.7% for boys. This falls under the national average, and far below the 90% vaccination coverage required to achieve the goal of eliminating cervical cancer in England by 2040.

Alongside a push to close the gaps in HPV vaccination, the NHS is encouraging parents to check their children’s MMR vaccination status and those that are eligible to book their flu vaccination.

Here in Luton, it is important we ensure high levels of vaccination uptake across all our communities. Vaccines save lives and help support our NHS, especially through the winter months, ensuring we can all access vital healthcare when we need it.

I was pleased to have my flu vaccination last week and encourage everyone to look into getting theirs. Find out more about the importance of vaccinations and book yours by visiting https://www.nhs.uk/vaccinations/ .