HPV vaccination

The NHS introduced a new vaccine that will protect women against Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) and cancer of the cervix. The vaccine has been offered to young women aged 12-13 years of age in school since September 2008.

This has been followed up with a two year catch-up campaign in 2009-11 as below. 

 - All girls born between 1 September 1991 and 31 August 1993 (school years 12 and 13 in the academic year 2009/10) will be offered immunisation from September 2009.
- All girls born between 1 September 1993 and 31 August 1995 (school years 11 and 12 in the academic year 2010/11) will be offered the vaccine from September 2010.

Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is a common virus that 8 out of 10 women will catch at some time in their lives. It doesn’t have any symptoms so most of the time you will not know you have it. If it’s not treated it may cause cancer of the cervix. HPV is spread by direct contact between people, especially through sexual contact. That’s why it’s really important that young women are protected against getting HPV before they have sex.

The HPV vaccine, Cervarix, protects against HPV types 16 and 18 and is given in the top of the arm. Three doses are needed at 0,1-2 and 6 months. You may get a slight swelling or redness where the injection was given but this will soon resolve.

Related sites

Understanding cervical cancer

Related downloads

| Frequently asked questions for parents and 12-13 year old girls.pdf (0.07 MB)

| Frequently asked questions for parents and 14-16 year old girls.pdf (0.07 MB)