HPA works closely with the Ministry of Health's immunisation team to provide communications and marketing support for its National Immunisation Programme. The overarching theme of the Programme is that immunisation is the best protection against serious but preventable diseases – helping to protect children, families and our community. The National Immunisation programme provides free immunisation to people across their lifespan.
In 2017, changes to the National Immunisation Schedule added free HPV immunisations for boys and extended the aged for free HPV immunisations for girls and boys up to the age of 26 years. Through February and March, HPA delivered an HPV Immunisation Campaign to educate parents on the risk and prevalence of HPV infection. It promoted the uptake of immunisation for boys and girls in Year 8. For more information on the HPV campaign, click here.
Free immunisations against Chickenpox (Varicella), scheduled at 15 months of age were also added to the Schedule from 1 July.
For further information please visit the Ministry of Health's website here.
Immunisation Week 1-7 May 2017
Immunisation Week is about raising awareness of the importance of immunisation to protect against serious illnesses. The theme of the 2017 Immunisation Week is ‘Ensuring that your teen is immunised’ and it's an opportunity to celebrate the role of all health professionals working with older children, teenagers and parents – practice nurses, GPs and hospital staff. Messages include the importance of ensuring that your teen is up to date with their immunisations; many teenagers missed out on measles immunisation as young children, and need to be protected against outbreaks. Immunisation at age 11-12 yearsis important as it provides ongoing protection against tetanus, HPV and other serious diseases.
Resources available
Immunisation Week communication packs were sent to Authorised Providers in March. Programme material and information on how to order new and existing resources were included, along with our new immunisation videos. Below are some other resources that might be useful. These are available to order via HealthEd.
- Poster - HE2501 Has your teen been immunised
- Poster - HE1221 Protect your child & HE2521 Protect your child (Te Reo)
- Pamphlet - HE2520 Chickenpox (Varicella) & HE2519 Chickenpox (Varicella) (Te Reo)
- Pamphlet - HE2012 Immunise against HPV & HE2015 Immunise against HPV (Te Reo)
- Click here to download the online digital banners
HPA can provide artwork files for some generic immunisation resources. The printing and production of resources needs to be arranged locally. See General Immunisation Resources section below.
Why Immunise?
HPA developed a video series called ‘Why Immunise’ to support and promote the National Immunisation Schedule. The videos are tailored for parents and their whānau and look at how immunisation helps protect against the spread of serious diseases. The videos focus on the importance of being immunised and how vaccine-preventable diseases can affect New Zealand families. Two new videos, 'One Less Worry' and 'Be On Time' have been added to the 'Why Immunise' series in conjunction with the 2017 Immunisation Week.
General immunisation resources
HPA can provide artwork files for some generic immunisation resources. The printing and production needs to be arranged locally. Artwork is subject to a conditions of use agreement. Contact Robyn at r.buckley@hpa.org.nz if you would like files to be sent.
- Tee shirts
- Pull-up banners
- Immunise on time pull up banner – with Ministry of Health, HPA and NZ government logos.
- Immunise on time pull up banner – with Ministry of Health, HP and NZ government logos and space for DHB logo to be added
- Bunting
Infants
The infant campaign promotes immunisation to parents of babies and young children. Serious preventable diseases can cause children to become extremely sick and the effects can last for years. Immunisation provides protection when children are most vulnerable. A key focus of this work is on getting immunisations completed on time and helping achieve the Government's health target of 95% of eight-month-olds being fully immunised.
Videos
Whooping cough
Tetanus
Polio
Diphtheria
Older children
HPA continues to support the schools programme (Year 7 and Year 8) each year with a media campaign (radio and online) reminding parents, whānau and caregivers to sign consent forms for Boostrix and Human Papillomavirus (HPV) immunisations being provided at school.
Download the consent forms:
Radio ad - 30 seconds
A new HPV immunisation campaign was launched in 2017. A key focus of the campaign is to highlight the risk of HPV infection, which is serious and can lead to cancer. Immunising against HPV can help to protect against HPV infection and can prevent HPV-related cancers later in life. The campaign also promoted the relevance of HPV immunisation for boys.
Radio ad - 30 seconds
Radio ad - 30 seconds
You can also view the new videos about the Boostrix and HPV immunisations.
School newsletter inserts - Year 7/8 immunisation programme
Keeping up to date
As it is important for young people to be up to date with their immunisations, a resource has been developed for secondary schools to use in their newsletters and in GP practices. It helps to remind parents of the important protection that immunisation offers.
Schools newsletter insert – reminder imms not Year specific (JEPG .4kb)
Download or order copies of the GP poster from HealthEd website.