Morning, Tuesday, 24th November 2026
Online
This conference will discuss next steps for vaccine rollout, research, and development in the UK.
It will bring stakeholders and policymakers together to discuss implementation of ambitions for vaccines in the Government’s 10 Year Health Plan, including expanding use of the NHS App for booking and management, transitioning commissioning responsibilities to integrated care boards, and increasing the role of community pharmacy in delivery.
Widening access to vaccinations
Delegates will consider practical priorities for boosting delivery in community settings, and approaches for equitably sharing benefits of innovation across the health system - including practical strategies for improving uptake. In light of the UK Health Security Agency Immunisation Equity Strategy the agenda will look at the way forward for widening access for underserved and hesitant groups, including tailored approaches and workforce training in culturally sensitive practice. Areas for discussion include how structural barriers might be addressed, strengthening accountable system leadership, reducing fragmentation, advancing the use of local data - alongside wider questions around workforce capacity and funding sustainability.
Commissioning and tackling misinformation
Further sessions will explore priorities following the House of Lords inquiry into childhood vaccination rates. We expect discussion on factors contributing to falling coverage, early insights from the Government’s health visitor pilot, and effective practice in engaging families. Delegates will also look at what is needed to strengthen commissioning and delivery - addressing questions around eligibility criteria, supply resilience, and the balance between preventative and reactive responses to outbreaks. Latest thinking on tackling misinformation will also be a focus, alongside strategies for building public confidence and supporting transparency across the system.
Investment, research and regulation
The conference will also consider priorities for innovation and research, including the use of advances such as artificial intelligence and personalised vaccines. Delegates will examine how access to initiatives such as the NHS Cancer Vaccine Launch Pad might be expanded, as well as regulatory considerations for supporting timely approval and deployment. Priorities for strengthening pandemic preparedness will be discussed, looking at investment in diagnostics, supply chains, and rapid response infrastructure.
Overview of areas for discussion
- aligning vaccine strategy with 10 Year Health Plan implementation:
- increasing vaccine delivery in community settings - the role of the NHS App in booking and managing appointments
- priorities for streamlining the transition of commissioning responsibility to ICBs
- next steps for expanding the role of community pharmacy in vaccine delivery
- tackling inequalities:
- developing targeted and tailored approaches for hesitant or underserved groups
- key workforce training priorities for reducing disparities
- next steps for developing accountable system leadership to address immunisation inequities
- priorities for addressing declining vaccination rates:
- examining progress of the Government’s health visitor pilot - considering reasons behind gradual decline in childhood vaccination coverage - assessing ways forward for improving the effectiveness of system leadership and commissioning
- building public confidence:
- developing strong relationships with community groups, and partners to support uptake - next steps for working with trusted local voices to build confidence
- strategies for tackling misinformation and disinformation in the media
- incentivising research and development:
- next steps for leveraging AI in vaccine development - strengthening public private partnerships going forward
- ways forward for increasing access to NHS Cancer Vaccine Launch Pad - regulatory priorities and the future of personalised vaccines
- enhancing pandemic preparedness through investing in diagnostics, vaccines and therapeutics development and infrastructure
