GP practices to offer chickenpox vaccine from January next year
GP practices will offer a combined vaccine for measles, mumps, rubella and varicella (MMRV) as part of the routine childhood vaccination schedule from January next year.
Earlier this year, NHS England said it would introduce a varicella vaccine, subject to ‘final ministerial agreement’, following changes to the routine childhood vaccination schedule announced in the GP contract.
Now the Government has confirmed that GP practices will deliver the vaccine from January next year, and that final eligibility criteria for children will be set out in clinical guidance covering which age groups will get the MMRV vaccine and when, to ‘ensure the most effective protection for children’.
It said that the decision to roll out the MMRV vaccine in January is based on expert scientific advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), following research showing the significant impact of severe cases of chickenpox on children’s health, hospital admissions and associated costs.
This is the first time protection against another disease has been added to the routine childhood vaccination programme since the MenB vaccine in 2015.
The change to the routing childhood schedule including the introduction of the varicella vaccine were announced as part of the 2025/26 GP contract (see box below), when NHSE said it would remove 32 QOF indicators and invest their funding into global sum, childhood vaccinations and cardiovascular prevention.
The Item of Service (IoS) fee for routine childhood immunisations that are part of essential services increased by £2 to £12.06 in 2025/26.
NHS England director of primary care Dr Amanda Doyle said: ‘This is a hugely positive moment for families as the NHS gets ready to roll out a vaccine to protect children against chickenpox for the first time, adding to the arsenal of other routine jabs that safeguard against serious illness.
‘We will work with vaccination teams and GP surgeries across the country to rollout the combined MMRV vaccine in the new year, helping to keep children healthy and prevent sickness from these highly contagious viruses.’
Primary care minister Stephen Kinnock said: ‘We’re giving parents the power to protect their children from chickenpox and its serious complications, while keeping them in nursery or the classroom where they belong and preventing parents from scrambling for childcare or having to miss work.
‘This vaccine puts children’s health first and gives working families the support they deserve.’
Changes to routine childhood schedule announced in the GP contract
- Children turning 12 months on or after 1 January 2026 will receive two doses of MMRV (at 12 and 18 months).
- Children turning 18 months on or after 1 January 2026 will receive one dose of MMRV (to complete their two-dose MMR schedule).
- Children aged 18 months to 3 years 4 months on 1 January 2026 will receive one dose of MMRV instead of their 2nd MMR dose. Of this cohort:
– those aged 18 months to 2 years 6 months will be invited to a brought forward appointment for their 2nd MMR dose (as MMRV) between 1 January 2026 and 31 October 2026
– those aged 2 years 7 months to 3 years 4 months on 1 January 2026 will receive their 2nd MMR dose (as MMRV) at their existing scheduled 3 years 4 months appointment before 31 October 2026. - Children aged 3 years 4 months to less than 6 years will be invited for a universal single catch-up dose of MMRV. Appointments to be scheduled from 1 January 2026 and completed by 31 March 2027.
- Children aged 6 years to less than 11 years will be invited to receive a single dose of MMRV if they have no history of chicken pox. Appointments to be scheduled from 1 January 2026 and completed by 31 March 2027.
- From 1 April 2027, an opportunistic or on request offer will remain for varicella (as a single dose of MMRV) to all children aged 3 years 4 months to less than 11 years before 1 January 2026 who have no history of chicken pox.
Source: NHS England
RCGP chair Professor Kamila Hawthorne said: ‘The childhood vaccination programme is one of the most important health interventions a parent can make on behalf of their child.
‘It’s protected millions of people for decades against potentially dangerous conditions, so we’re pleased to see it being expanded to include chickenpox.
‘While chickenpox will be a source of discomfort and irritation for most children, for vulnerable patients with weakened immune systems it can have more serious effects, and the vaccine will help protect them.
‘GPs and our teams will be instrumental not only in the delivery of this vaccine, but also in spreading awareness and addressing any concerns that parents may have around this vaccination, and vaccinations more broadly.’
In November 2023, the JCVI recommended that a universal chickenpox vaccination programme be included in the routine childhood immunisation schedule.
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