10,000 more Wirral women offered HPV vaccination

Sep 30 2009 by Lorna Hughes, Birkenhead News

A FURTHER 10,000 girls and young women in Wirral are to be offered the HPV vaccine.

The routine programme to vaccinate all Year 8 girls in Wirral began in September 2008, with 2,000 12 and 13 year-olds given the vaccine.

The government has decided it should be made available to all young women born between 1 September 1991 and 31 August 1995.

They will be offered the HPV (Human Papillomavirus) vaccine over the next 12 to 18 months.

Ninety-nine per cent of all cervical cancers are caused by HPV infection and health experts believe immunisation, which consists of three doses of the vaccine, could help save around 400 lives a year in the UK.

Lead School Nurse Sue Edwards said: “It is important that girls have all three vaccinations to be fully protected but if for any reason they miss one, they should contact their school nurse at the earliest opportunity.

“We have recruited six additional nurses to help us vaccinate the girls in school.”

Consent forms for Years 8, 10 and 11 girls must be signed by a parent/carer and returned to schools.

Those aged 16 and over will be advised via letter to attend their GP surgery for vaccination.