Practice nurses must be given the ‘tools and training’ to combat conspiracy theories and online misinformation around vaccinations, a parliamentary debate has heard.
Centred on vaccination rates in England, the debate saw MPs spotlight the role of practice nurses who are making wall displays and responding to comments made online in a bid to bust myths and improve uptake.
It comes as concerns remain around vaccination uptake, particularly in children, with latest data showing only around half of primary school children had the flu vaccine last winter, as well as a rise in measles cases, the majority of which are in unvaccinated children.
The debate saw MPs discuss issues around access to vaccination appointments, as well as hesitancy and misinformation.
‘Vaccine misinformation a genuine threat to public health’
Alison Bennett, Liberal Democrat MP for Mid Sussex and party spokesperson for care and carers, described online medical disinformation as a ‘genuine threat to public health’.
She cites comments made by US president Donald Trump in which he recently made unfounded links between vaccines and autism.
And she suggested that practice nurses in GP surgeries and walk-in centres ‘are now telling us they are hearing these same conspiracy theories in this country today’.
Related Article: Only around half of eligible primary school children had a flu vaccine last year
Ms Bennett called for ‘a serious, funded strategy to fight medical disinformation head on’.
‘That means supporting doctors and nurses with the tools and training to engage constructively with vaccine-sceptical patients; investing in public health messaging that works with trusted local voices and online influencers, not against them; targeted outreach to the communities where scepticism runs deepest; criminal liability for online influencers and politicians alike who profit from spreading dangerous medical disinformation; and a new verification system so that no one can falsely claim to be a medical professional online,’ she added.
‘None of that is about shaming families who have been misled. It is about meeting them where they are, with facts, compassion and a system that makes doing the right thing the easy thing.
‘Let us fund vaccination properly, let us take it into every community and let us have the courage to say clearly and without apology that we follow the science, not the conspiracy theories.’
‘Practice nurses working to dispel myths’
Alex Mayer, Labour MP for Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard, described a recent visit to a local GP surgery that was working on a ‘big push’ on childhood vaccination, including combatting misinformation.
‘I was introduced to the senior nurse… who showed me a display she had made to rebut some of the myths that parents are seeing online,’ said Ms Mayer.
‘She also explained how staff go online to dispel those myths in the comments made on the surgery’s own webpage, doing so respectfully but directly, and always in plain English.’
‘We need to rebuild health visiting’
As part of the debate, Lizzi Collinge, Labour MP for Morecambe and Lunesdale, said that while she agreed misinformation was an issue and that ‘false claims are dangerously contagious’, she argued that ‘most parents who miss vaccinations are simply exhausted, overstretched or unable to get an appointment that fits around their lives’.
Ms Collinge highlighted the importance of health visiting services and the need to boost investment there.
Earlier this year, the government announced a £2m pilot where health visitors in five areas of England will offer vaccinations during routine visits to families who have not taken up vaccinations via their GP practice.
Ms Collinge said: ‘We need to rebuild health visiting and early years services, as well as rebuilding the links between families and GPs, because vaccination rates are highest when people have access to trusted professionals who they see regularly.
‘I certainly know that health visiting is in a much worse place than when I had my first child.
Related Article: HPV self-testing: nurses stress profession’s ‘key role’ and the need to monitor workload impact
‘The investment that this Labour Government are putting into our health services should address that.’
‘I will redouble my efforts on vaccination uptake’
General practice minister Dame Diana Johnson gave a lengthy response during the debate, highlighting action being taken by the government on four fronts, including: ‘clearer NHS organisation, more flexible services, better public information and joined-up digital records’.
She pointed to the important role played by general practice in vaccinations but recognised the need to test vaccinations through other routes, including health visiting teams and community pharmacies.
‘The aim is simple: to reach those who might otherwise miss out,’ she said.
Turning to awareness, Dame Diana said the government’s job was to ensure parents can ‘can easily find the clear and trustworthy information that they need’.
‘That means stronger public campaigns and confident healthcare professionals giving that advice,’ she said, noting this could also be provided by schools and trusted local organisations.
Dame Diana added: ‘We all agree that false claims online can cause huge concern and worry. As a number of honourable members have said, the actions of politicians have consequences.
‘We all share the responsibility to base our comments on science and evidence. We have seen the damage that misinformation can cause.’
Related Article: Case by case: Managing adult asthma in primary care
However, she stressed she did ‘not want to mistake misinformation for the whole problem’.
‘To improve coverage, many families simply need vaccinations to be easier to understand and to access,’ she said.
She added: ‘I can assure all honourable members in the room today that I will go back to the Department and redouble my efforts to ensure that we see the increase that we all want in the number of vaccinations, particularly for children.’
Interested in learning more about vaccinations and immunisation ahead of flu season? Join our free online event on 24 September for practical updates, expert-led sessions and 5.3 CPD hours. Book your free place today.