Data protection and vaccination within schools

Letter for headteachers from Director of Public Health Ealing Council

Dear headteacher

Thank you once again for the continued support, collaboration and leadership you provide to ensure that all children are protected against vaccine preventable diseases.

Considering the recent increase in measles cases and the threat of outbreaks, we wanted to ensure that schools had the necessary advice on delivery of vaccination within schools. This includes the use and sharing of children and young people’s personal information to support the national vaccination programmes.

The key message is that there is a lawful basis for processing personal data and schools do not have to obtain prior consent of children or their parents or guardians to lawfully share personal information from school rolls with immunisation services for vaccination.

We will continue to work to ensure that vaccinators try and keep disruption during school visits to a minimum and only ask you to assist with the things they cannot do themselves. It is paramount that we protect London from the potential risk of outbreaks.

Once again, we appreciate the support you give to the immunisation teams. Please find attached the National NHSE & UKSHA guidance on the legal basis for sharing data and how schools can support the vaccination programmes. We have also included some general FAQs, for your information.

Susan Elden (Consultant in Public Health NHSE-London) and Anna Bryden (Director of Public Health Ealing Council)