Travel health update

Green Book changes; Travel health from the RCN; Immunisation education and competency

GREEN BOOK CHANGES

We’ve been aware we should only be using the online version of Immunisation Against Infectious Disease, commonly known as the ‘Green Book’ for some time. However, it now has a new front cover and contents page, with links directly to each chapter, including all the latest information plus new chapters that weren’t in the 2006 publication. To access see https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immunisation-against-infectious-disease-the-green-book-front-cover-and-contents-page

Three chapters concerning travel vaccines were updated in December 2013. Chapter 14 on cholera has had a new category of traveller to be considered following a full risk assessment. So, in addition to relief or disaster aid workers and persons who travel remotely in areas where cholera epidemics are occurring with limited access to medical care, now travellers to potential cholera risk areas for whom vaccination is considered potentially beneficial may also be given oral cholera vaccine on the NHS. Chapter 18 on hepatitis B has one policy change regarding travellers who have completed a primary course of vaccination, stating that a booster at five years is no longer required, unless they are considered to be at continuing risk of infection. Chapter 20 on Japanese B Encephalitis has been completely re written as Green Cross vaccine is no longer recommended in the UK. IXIARO® is now licensed for children from two months of age and should be the only vaccine used. The Green Book also states that IXIARO® may be used as a booster for those who received Green Cross vaccine previously. Please check these individual chapters for further details at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/immunisation-against-infectious-disease-the-green-book

TRAVEL HEALTH FROM THE RCN

It is four years since the RCN Travel Health Forum merged with the RCN Public Health Forum, and as a result no longer has its individual identity. However, the RCN has launched a new travel health page late in 2013 with a wealth of useful information with links to numerous resources. See http://www.rcn.org.uk/development/practice/public_health/topics/travel_health. The RCN Public Health Forum is holding its 2014 conference, ‘Contacts that Count’ on 21 March at the University of Warwick, Coventry. This meeting includes a travel health update which will be jointly presented by Sandra Grieve and myself. See http://www.rcn.org.uk/newsevents/event_details/rcn_eventsms/rcn_public_health_forum_conference_and_exhibition#description

IMMUNISATION EDUCATION

The RCN, with the involvement of Public Health England, has published a very welcome document entitled ‘Supporting the delivery of immunisation education’. The publication builds on the national guidance for immunisation training, covering both the National Minimum Standards for Immunisation Training and the Core Curriculum for Immunisation Training, first published by the Health Protection Agency in 2005, and the more recent additional standards developed for health care support workers in 2012. The RCN guidance recommends the standardisation of training to ensure that it meets the National Minimum Standards, but says a training package alone would not ensure practitioners’ care was safe or effective. Therefore, the document also includes a detailed competency framework designed to support staff and help their managers assess competence and knowledge. This is a very important document for all nurses in practice, including those who undertake travel health. See http://www.rcn.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/553748/004479.pdf