News  

The work will be required after the DoH announced a catch-up campaign for 17- to 18-year-old girls in England. This is in addition to the routine vaccination of girls aged 12 to 13, which also begins next month, and a further catch-up programme for girls up to the age of 18 that begins in September 2009.

The extra year of girls being offered the vaccination will be those born between 1 September 1990 and 31 August 1991.

A spokeswoman for the DoH said that the vaccination programme for the 17- to 18-year-olds could be done in GP surgeries or in colleges and that it would be up to PCTs to decide how best to deliver the programme.

But Dr Angela Raffle, public health lead for cervical screening at Bristol PCT, said: 'This has been rushed and will put impossible pressure on GPs and nurses.'

The move comes after the DoH was heavily criticised for saving £18.6 million a year by choosing the cheaper HPV vaccine Cervarix. Unlike its rival Gardasil, Cervarix offers no protection against the virus that causes genital warts.

Public health minister Dawn Primarolo, said: 'By choosing this vaccine we have been able to make savings, which will mean we can extend the programme to 17- and 18-year-olds. This could save an additional 400 lives.'

But Dr Raffle believes the extended programme is in response to criticism that the DoH chose Cervarix over Gardasil to save money.

Fiona Smith, RCN adviser in children and young people's nursing, welcomed the HPV vaccination programme. However, she questioned whether the DoH had allocated sufficient resources to roll out the programme and if there were enough school nurses to deliver it.

Education and training is required for the school nurse work force on HPV, added Ms Smith.

Comment below and tell us what you think