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A trial piloting community pharmacy delivery of measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccines in the North West of England is currently being evaluated, one integrated care board (ICB) has confirmed to The Pharmaceutical Journal.
The “catch-up” campaign — delivered by 43 community pharmacies in the North West of England — targeted children and young people who had missed one or both doses of the MMR vaccine.
However, the scheme came to an end on 31 March 2025, when the commissioned contracts expired, NHS England told The Pharmaceutical Journal.
Since April 2025, measles activity has increased, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) warned this week.
It urged parents to ensure their children are vaccinated to prevent a further surge in cases following summer travel or the return to school.
Matt Harvey, chief officer at Community Pharmacy Liverpool, said the local pharmaceutical committee “would welcome discussions with commissioners to get the MMR vaccine service re-started in the city”.
“Community Pharmacy Liverpool is working closely with Liverpool Public Health to ensure pharmacy teams are informed of the symptoms of measles and where patients can go to be vaccinated,” he said.
A spokesperson for NHS Greater Manchester said the ICB was “evaluating the findings to help inform commissioning decisions for this year”.
“Providing responsive, accessible and timely care for patients is a top priority for NHS Greater Manchester. That’s why we regularly review our services to ensure they meet the needs of our diverse communities,” the spokesperson added.
Data published by the UKHSA in June 2025 show that 226 laboratory-confirmed cases of measles were reported between January and March 2025, while 138 (61.1%) of those cases were in children aged ten years or younger.
In addition, just six cases of measles (2.7%) that were reported in the first quarter of 2025 had been previously vaccinated — one case received a dose of the MMR vaccine, while five cases (2.2%) received at least two doses.
According to UKHSA data published in July 2025, measles cases have continued to rise, with 108 laboratory-confirmed cases being reported nationally with symptom onset in April 2025, 130 cases in May 2025, 125 cases in June 2025 and 87 cases in July 2025.
The UKHSA said the most recent figures could under-represent the scale of the issue, owing to a lag in reporting.
Of the 96 cases of measles reported with symptom onset in the last four weeks since 30 June 2025, around two-thirds (64%, n=61) were in London and one-third (34%, n=33) were in the North West of England, UKHSA data revealed.
In July 2025, it was reported that a child with an underlying immunological problem died from measles at Liverpool’s Alder Hey Children’s Hospital.
On 1 August 2025, the UKHSA reported that more than 1 in 10 eligible children under the age of five years in England haven’t had the MMR vaccine or are only partially vaccinated.
