Immunisation helps protect our young people and communities from a wide range of illnesses.

The NHS Lothian school nurse team carries out an annual immunisation programme, which includes:

• The HPV vaccine for girls in S1 and S2 to protect against cervical cancer (and also for any girls in S3-S6 who have not completed)
• The teenage booster (Diphtheria, Tetanus and Polio) and Meningitis ACWY for S3 pupils and any in S4 –S6 who have not received this in S3

If you receive a consent form pack please ensure you read this and discuss vaccination with your parent or carer.  Please make sure you return the form as soon as you can (within 7 days please), signed by yourself and your parent/carer.

The HPV vaccine, given to girls in S1 and S2, protects against certain strains of the human papillomavirus which cause cervical cancer. It is important that you get this protection early enough for it to be effective.  So, you should have all the required doses as soon as they are offered at secondary school.

More information about the HPV programme can be found on the Immunisation Scotland website, alternatively you can call NHS Inform on 0800 22 44 88 (8am to 10pm, every day).