Child Health Surveillance includes a programme of checks and immunisations.
Baby clinic
Your baby will be invited for a thorough physical examination. This is usually done by a GP.
Your baby’s eyes, heart, hips and – for boys – testicles will be checked. They’ll also have their weight, length and head circumference measured.
A GP will discuss your baby’s vaccinations with you. The first vaccinations (due at 8 weeks) will be offered at this appointment.
They’ll also ask you how you’ve been feeling emotionally and physically since the birth of your baby.
NHS Childhood Vaccination Schedule
We follow the national vaccination programme set out by the NHS.
Vaccines for babies under 1 year old
| Age | Vaccines |
|---|---|
| 8 weeks | 6-in-1 vaccine Rotavirus vaccine MenB vaccine |
| 12 weeks | 6-in-1 vaccine (2nd dose) Pneumococcal vaccine Rotavirus vaccine (2nd dose) |
| 16 weeks | 6-in-1 vaccine (3rd dose) MenB vaccine (2nd dose) |
Vaccines for children aged 1 to 15
| Age | Vaccines |
|---|---|
| 1 year | Hib/MenC vaccine (1st dose) MMR vaccine (1st dose) Pneumococcal vaccine (2nd dose) MenB vaccine (3rd dose) |
| 2 to 15 years | Children’s flu vaccine (every year until children finish Year 11 of secondary school) |
| 3 years and 4 months | MMR vaccine (2nd dose) 4-in-1 pre-school booster vaccine |
| 12 to 13 years | HPV vaccine |
| 14 years | 3-in-1 teenage booster vaccineMenACWY vaccine |
Child health record book (the ‘Red Book’)
Shortly before or after your baby is born, you’ll be given a personal child health record (PCHR). This usually has a red cover and is known as the “red book”.
It’s a good idea to take your baby’s red book with you every time you visit the baby clinic or GP.
They will use it to record your child’s weight and height, vaccinations and other important information.
You can also add information to the red book yourself. You may want to record any illnesses or accidents your baby has, or any medicines they take.
You’ll find it helpful to keep the developmental milestones section of the red book up to date too.