Improving vaccination for pregnant people across south east London
We are proud to share the success of the South East London Local Maternity and Neonatal System’s (SEL LMNS) recent maternity vaccination campaign, which has helped increase vaccine uptake across south east London.
What has been achieved
Vaccination teams from Guy’s and St Thomas’, King’s College Hospital, and Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trusts have played a key role in improving uptake since the launch of the autumn 2024 campaign. A key milestone was the introduction of the new RSV vaccine for pregnant people.
SEL LMNS also carried out a detailed review of how information is shared across maternity vaccination pathways. This work is supporting quality improvement across south east London and has been shared with NHS England and London colleagues to help inform future guidance.
Supporting pregnant people and frontline staff
Maternity vaccination midwives have provided expert training to frontline teams, hosted additional clinics, and ensured that pregnant women and birthing people across the area received clear, accurate vaccine information.
This collective effort has led to:
- A 90% increase in whooping cough (pertussis) vaccinations.
- 26% flu vaccine uptake, exceeding the London average by 2%
- 7.7% COVID-19 booster uptake among the maternity population – the highest across all ICBs, with 34% of doses given in hospital hubs or vaccination centres.
- 35.5% RSV vaccine uptake in the third trimester – also above the London average.
A new pilot making a difference
In partnership with the South East London Vision Vaccination Team, a new pilot was launched to contact all pregnant people after their 20-week scan. These follow-up calls offer information about available vaccines and an opportunity to book into the new SEL Maternity Vaccination Clinic at Francis House Clinic, Guy’s Hospital.
Key results so far include:
- Weekly contact with around 100 pregnant people.
- A 69% contact-to-vaccine conversion rate – with 584 out of 1,785 contacted receiving at least one vaccine.
- 2,259 individuals vaccinated between October 2024 and March 2025 – a 15% increase compared to the previous year.
Positive patient feedback
Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Patients have highlighted the ease of accessing the walk-in clinic, short waiting times, and the professionalism and kindness of staff. The service has received an average satisfaction rating of 9.5 out of 10.