Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation

Other public bodies · Statutory advisory committee

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First report 6 Apr 2017•Latest report 22 Nov 2017

Reports, concerns and published responses

Reports over time

Reports naming this recipient by issue year.

* 2026 is projected from reports observed to 7 Sep 2026.

Reports
2

Naming this recipient

Published responses
100%

Found for named reports

Concerns addressed
2

Across all linked responses

Stated actions
6

Described in responses

Concerns and recipient responses

Statements from Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation linked to the concerns in each report. Select any concern, action or position to view the source wording.

  1. Nottinghamshire

    AI-generated summary

    Tomas Kelly · Prevention of Future Deaths report

    This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.

    Report summary

    Tomas Kelly, aged 3, was admitted to hospital after choking and being diagnosed with aspiration pneumonia and a chest infection. After later developing chicken pox, he deteriorated rapidly at home and died in hospital on 22 November 2016; the cause of death was confluent bronchopneumonia. The principal concerns were that his parents may not have been informed about the increased infection risks associated with Down’s Syndrome, and whether children with Down’s Syndrome should routinely be offered chicken pox vaccination.

    Read the report on judiciary.uk

    Source evidence

    How this individual concern was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. The report was sent to Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation; that does not assign responsibility.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Lack of routine chicken pox vaccination offer for children with Downs Syndrome

    Wider context from the report

    “2. Vaccination against chicken pox a. The evidence confirmed that it is not the chicken pox per se which creates a risk. Rather it is the immunosupppressant effect of this – creating a risk of more serious infections as a result. b. We heard from a community paediatrician that, as matters stand, there is no plan to vaccinate all children against chicken pox. This is limited to certain high risk groups only. c. It is clear that children with Downs Syndrome are at increased risk – both of contracting infection and of the infections being more serious. d. Careful consideration should be given to including children with Downs Syndrome to the category of children who will be routinely offered this vaccination. ”
    Open source report

    Source evidence

    How this individual concern was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. The report was sent to Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation; that does not assign responsibility.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Failure to communicate the increased infection risks associated with Downs Syndrome to parents or carers

    Wider context from the report

    “1. Talking to parents a. I did not have concerns about the medical professionals being aware of the increased risks associated with infection in children with Downs Syndrome. I heard no evidence of the parents being made aware of this however – either when he was discharged from hospital on 22 October 2016 or when he was seen by his GP on 21 November 2016. b. Tomas’ parents said they may have sought additional medical assistance if they had known about these risks. c. Whilst this may be happening to some extent in community paediatrics, it is important for health professionals in acute settings (including primary care) to be advised to share these risks with parents/ carers, so that they can adopt an appropriate threshold for seeking medical assistance. ”
    Open source report

    Source evidence

    How this respondent action was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Review advice on varicella vaccination, including consideration of adding children with Down’s syndrome to eligible high-risk groups.

    Verbatim wording from the response

    “increased risk of serious disease should they contract varicella. Down’s syndrome is not currently included in the list of high risk groups, as an increased (complicated) varicella risk has not previously been identified. Your communication is timely as JCVI is currently undertaking a review of its advice on varicella vaccination and will give consideration to your suggestion regarding Down’s syndrome during one of the 3 meetings in 2018.”

    Source location

    2017-0412-Response-by-Joint-Committee-on-Vacccination-and-Immunisation
    Page 2 · response
    Published 27 February 2018

    Open published response

  2. Avon

    AI-generated summary

    Isabel Lily GENTRY · Prevention of Future Deaths report

    This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.

    Report summary

    Isabel Lily Gentry became ill with meningitis on 17 May 2016, was discharged from hospital on 18 May with a diagnosis of viral gastroenteritis, and was readmitted later that day when her condition worsened. Meningitis was confirmed, but despite care and treatment she deteriorated and died on 20 May 2016. The principal concern was that extending meningitis B vaccination to the teenage group might prevent future deaths.

    Read the report on judiciary.uk

    Source evidence

    How this individual concern was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. The report was sent to Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation; that does not assign responsibility.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Failure to include higher-risk teenagers in the meningitis B vaccination programme

    Wider context from the report

    “1. Evidence was provided during the inquest that if Isabel had received the meningitis B vaccination that her death would have been prevented. There is therefore an ongoing risk that future deaths will occur unless action is taken in relation to extending the vaccination program to include the teenage group which is at increased risk. ”
    Open source report
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Information checked against published PFD reports and official responses · Data reviewed 7 Sep 2026 · About data quality and limitations

Data last updated 7 September 2026