Think Measles!

Updated on Thursday, 11 April 2024, 300 views

Think Measles!

NHSE have released updated guidance on 25 March for Primary, community care, emergency departments and hospital. This guidance covers clinical diagnosis, management of suspected and confirmed cases and all age ranges where measles is suspected.

MMR FAQs Updated 1.3.24

Please find attached the latest version of our regional MMR FAQs . We recommend that the best place to access our regional MMR FAQs document is on our FutureNHS site to ensure that you are working from the most up-to-date version. If you have not visited this site before, you will be asked to request access – simply click on the link above and tell us your practice name or code and your job title and we will grant access as quickly as possible (within working hours). If you require support in registering for a FutureNHS account please visit https://future.nhs.uk/.

Please note that both the table of changes and the contents list contains hyperlinks to the FAQ items for easier navigation.

If you have any further clinical queries about MMR, or any other routine immunisations, please contact our ICARS service at england.swicars@nhs.net .

Guidance on MMR Coding and Re-coding

Please note that the national NHS England team have issued guidance for practices when coding or re-coding MMR vaccination events. This includes:

Instructions for actioning retrospective coding of an MMR vaccine event without triggering an item of service fee
Notes on overseas vaccination history, vaccinations delivered in other settings
Current and valid SNOMED codes

Please find the guidance document attached, or on our South West Vaccination & Screening Team FutureNHS site

Key Points

On 31 October 2023, NHS England National Medical Director and UKHSA Chief Medical Advisor wrote to healthcare system leaders to alert them to the risk of a measles resurgence in England, due to sub-optimal uptake of the Measles Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine and cases linked to overseas travel.

NHSE advise that 2023 has seen a steady rise in measles cases. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has published updated national measles guidelines and resources, with a new slide set for healthcare professionals and support staff in primary care. These guidelines advise how to manage cases of suspected measles, what patient details to take, who to notify and assessing risk of disease spreading in close contacts.

Guidance for Risk Assessment and Infection Prevention and Control Measures for Measles in Healthcare Settings

January 2024 – NHSE issued Guidance for risk assessment and infection prevention and control measures for measles in healthcare settings.

The guidance is intended to support preparedness for and management of suspected or confirmed measles cases in healthcare settings and we would strongly recommend practices familiarise themselves with this. It is quite possible that practices will be the first contact point for potential measles cases and staff should be aware of symptoms. The guidance includes details for the required PPE and IPC to mange suspected cases. It also advises that all staff vaccinations, for MMR in particular, should be checked. CQC Mythbuster 37 is useful for this topic.

In particular it says:-

2.2.1. Patient placement in primary care or outpatient settings

If remote consultation is not possible or if, following telephone triage, a patient with suspected or confirmed measles is required or advised to attend primary care or outpatient settings, there should be separation in space and/or time between patients. Patients attending with suspected measles infection should be prioritised for assessment/treatment and isolated at the time of arrival (for example, directed to a side room). Appointments should be scheduled to reduce waiting times in reception areas (where necessary) and avoid cross-over of infectious and non-infectious patients.

If transfer from a primary care facility to a hospital is required, ambulance services should be informed of the infectious status of the patient. Patient confidentiality must be maintained.

We strongly recommend reading the guidance in full

NHS Launches Catch Up Campaign for Missed MMR Vaccines

Millions of parents and carers in England are being urged to book their children in for their missed measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine as part of a major new NHS drive to protect children from becoming seriously unwell, as measles cases continue to rise across the country. The NHS campaign will see all parents of children aged from six to 11 years contacted encouraging them to make an appointment with their child’s GP practice for their missed MMR vaccine. Read more here

Practices are advised by NHSE that the national MMR call/recall to support the 2023/24 vaccination and immunisation campaign will be taking place throughout February and March 2024. The national MMR vaccination reminders will be sent to the parents/guardians of children aged 6-11 years who require one or two doses of the vaccine.

Practices should prepare to receive enquiries from their registered patients during February and March 2024 who have received a national MMR vaccination reminder, and should check immunisation records, book, and administer vaccination, if clinically appropriate. Further information on the practice role in support of national MMR call and recall is available in Annex A here