Fears of inaccurate figures overshadow measles drive

But local immunisation officers are worried that the rate of vaccination uptake being reported to the Public Health Laboratory Service may be inaccurate. The figures reveal that London has some of the lowest measles vaccination rates in the country, but GPs appear to be claiming payment for higher uptake rates than the figures reported to the child health computers - the basis of the PHLS figures - would indicate.

Despite World Health Organisation recommendations that 95 per cent of children should be immunised against measles, the PHLS estimates that only 88 per cent of children in the UK are immunised, following scares about the safety of the mumps, measles and rubella vaccine (MMR). In some areas of London the rate is reportedly as low as 75 per cent, which sparked fears that measles could resurface, particularly as younger children start school for the new year.

Dr David Elliman, chair of the London district immunisation co-ordinators group, has now started a city-wide check to see if the figures produced by the PHLS are up-to-date and accurate, and, if so, to find out the reasons for low take-up. 'When we have got those statistics, if we find we have got genuine low figures we would look at a campaign to improve uptake of the vaccine, ' he said.

The figures are expected to be clarified in the next week or so, but initial soundings have shown that, in at least two authorities, the immunisation rates are actually higher than those recorded to the PHLS. GPs who immunise 90 per cent or more children are eligible for an extra annual payment of£2,685, whereas those who immunise 70 to 89 per cent receive just£895 a year.

'Not all GPs send the information to the computer, ' said Dr John Thomas, consultant for communicable disease control with Croydon health authority. 'If you look at what payments GPs claim for carrying out the vaccination, that is nearer 80 to 90 per cent.'