The new BCG regime
Lead TB Nurse Specialist Debbie Crisp writes.
Provision of the BCG vaccination varies across the country and in some primary care trusts (PCTs) it is the TB nurses who are involved in, or who manage vaccination programmes, relevant training and updates. In our trust, the TB nurses have led the implementation from a universal to a targeted programme and in doing so have encountered many enquiries from both staff and the public. The Department of Health left the local PCTs to inform and advise the public of this change, leaving individuals confused and concerned, as they are constantly reminded by the media of increasing cases of TB.
Health professionals need to understand the epidemiology of TB and the science behind the vaccine before they are able to reassure parents or appropriately refer children for vaccination. As the person in our trust who was identified to explain, reassure and inform, I wrote an article that has been published in Practice Nursing (2007, Vol. 18, No. 9). which can be found in the British Nursing Index database. This article has been very useful when talking to practice nurses and health visitors in generating discussion and a broader understanding of this vaccine.