Effectiveness of ward based opportunistic immunisation policy.

84 85 86 87 88 89 90 Year Immutisation uptake rates (percentages), 1979-89 for children who reached their second birthdayThe reasons for the steady improvement in immunisation rates over recent years are probably complex but must encompass the substantial work of community child health doctors, general practi- tioners, health visitors, and consultants in public health medicine to achieve high rates of immunisation in their practices and populations.Some of the factors likely to be important are improvements in accessibility of services, increased parental knowledge through local and national educational initiatives, improved training and guidance for professionals, and coordination of services through relevant immunisation committees and nominated immunisation coordinators.Factors such as introduction of immunisation targets into the general practitioner contract and the new accelerated schedule may result in further improvements in immunisation rates but cannot have contributed greatly to our present levels of immunisation.