eRedbook Supports Immunisation Uptake

THE CHALLENGE

The challenge for eRedbook was to provide parents with user-friendly online access to their children’s immunisation and other health records as the beginning of a life-long health record that is hard to lose. Parents frequently forget or lose paper red books - 60% of parents of school aged children do not hold a full immunisation record for their school aged child*.

This has consequences as parents who are unable to locate historical immunisation records visit their GP surgery to try and request copies, and children and young adults presenting at A&E or a new GP may be given a vaccination a second time if records are not available.

THE CLIENT

eRedbook Immunisation capability was developed in conjuntion with NHS England, NHS Digital, and the Digital Child Health Programme as part of a wider eRedbook development carried out under the digital.health Accelerator Programme.

The eRedbook is commissioned London-wide for more than 120,000 new parents a year who can receive their children’s records digitally, viewing them on their mobile phone or using a web browser.

THE SOLUTION

eRedbook designs take into account the NHS England requirements for every parent to quickly and easily find out what immunisations their child has had, what immunisations are due next, what they may have missed and what their child will be offered in the future.

A clear and simple immunisations summary enables parents to quickly view their child’s records. Parents can also view a single immunisation record in detail. On-screen reminders tell parents when their next immunisation is due and in-app posts direct parents to NHS approved immunisation information. If a parent shares their child’s record with a professional using eRedbook Pro, the professional can view the record in the same way.

Data flows into the child’s eRedbook record from the National Events Management System (NEMS) where the data is available and from the London Platform to complete the record.

BENEFITS

eRedbook shows parents what vaccines and reviews are offered routinely and which are coming next within the Healthy Child Programme prompting parents to proactively seek appointments even if they’ve just moved house. The Immunisation Summary view allows parents to view their full record including what they have missed. eRedbook also puts a source of evidence-based NHS-approved immunisation information in the hands of parents with clear links additional NHS content.

Parents are much more likely to have their eRedbook with them at routine appointments and A&E visits meaning parents can share the information accurately and quickly with clinicians. This reduces the need for re-vaccination due to incomplete records in both GP and accute settings contributing also to lowered clinical risk.
eRedbook is the start of the child’s longterm immunisation record which will continue to be of value to the child on into adulthood. 

HIGHLIGHTS

• Greater parental understanding of immunisation schedule.
• Parents proactively seeking immunisation appointments.
• Reduction in immunisation record requests at GP surgeries.
• Reduction in unnecessary re-immunisation for those with incomplete record.
• Source of NHS approved immunisation information straight to the parents hands.

*In a Sitekit Survey conducted in January 2020, 60% of parents of school aged children had lost or only partially completed their paper red book.