Vaccine Incident Guidance: Responding to Errors in Vaccine Storage, Handling and Administration

This guidance has been approved for use in Scotland by the Scottish Health Protection Network Guidance Group (SHPN-GG). The guidance should be used in conjunction with the SHPN addendum. 

The Public Health England (PHE) Vaccine Incident Guidance: Responding to errors in vaccine storage, handling and administration has been developed to provide consistent guidelines, for the wide range of health professionals with a lead role in delivering immunisation programmes, in the investigation and management of vaccine storage or administration incidents. 

• ​View thePHE Vaccine Incident Guidance: Responding to errors in vaccine storage, handling and administration​

The aim of the guidance is to:

• ​provide a consistent approach to considering the appropriate action in response to vaccine storage and administration errors and to signpost providers to support and advice 
• ensure vaccines are appropriately handled following compromised storage incidents, thus reducing vaccine wastage 
• minimise the recall and unnecessary revaccination of patients by assisting providers to make an accurate assessment as to whether vaccine safety or efficacy have been compromised and to inform a proportionate response to incidents
• encourage immunisation providers to recognise the need to report vaccine errors and incidents and use the lessons learned to improve future practice ​