Thousands of babies protected thanks to Dorset vaccination service

A vaccination service run by teams from University Hospitals Dorset (UHD), Dorset County Hospital (DCH), and Dorset HealthCare (DHC) has celebrated a successful first year providing vaccinations to pregnant patients across Dorset.

‘Perinatal’ vaccines protect both the parent and baby from serious illnesses like whooping cough, RSV and complications from flu, by transferring antibodies. By coming together as three trusts, the team of midwives have developed a flexible year-round service, offering clinics at multiple locations throughout the county, with almost 7,000 perinatal vaccinations delivered since September 2024.

Dorset's Integrated Vaccination Service team

Suzanne Charles, Clinical Sites Matron for the Integrated Vaccination Service at DHC, said: “We pride ourselves on placing our patients at the very centre of what we do, whether that is aligning vaccinations to scan and clinic appointments, or by finding appropriate spaces for vaccination clinics within smaller towns to reduce travel for families. Consequently, we’ve seen a sharp rise in uptake of perinatal vaccinations in Dorset, providing many more newborns with protection against whooping cough, RSV, and complications from seasonal flu.”

“To date we have delivered over 6,800 perinatal vaccines and we are already one of the highest performing trusts in the country for this year’s autumn flu programme.

“The success to our service is wholly down to the staff who have worked so hard to make it happen. The vaccination service leads and lead midwives at the trusts have been crucial to the design and legalities of everything that comes with starting something new, but all staff at every level have given so much of themselves to keep pushing and improving.

“From midwifery and admin teams to the Pharmacy Department and digital midwives working in women’s health, the real celebration here is the collaboration between three trusts to create a service which offers a bespoke feel for every single patient, right across Dorset.”

 For more information about the vaccination service and upcoming clinics in your local area, call 07345 436189 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.