Could mandatory vaccinations increase uptake in children?

The UK has had a comprehensive vaccination programme in place for some decades, and uptake data of in excess of 90% for the childhood programme in 2017–2018 (NHS Digital, 2019) has made this a highly successful intervention in the prevention of ill-health. However, a small but concerning decline in uptake has been observed recently, and earlier this year, the UK lost its measles-free status. The World Health Organization (WHO) determined that the UK could no longer be considered as having ‘eliminated’ measles because transmission had been re-established.

This rise in measles cases, coupled with Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock's refusal to rule out mandatory vaccination, has initiated the debate around the use of such punitive measures as a response to the problem. Adopting legislative methods may seem to be a straightforward approach, and many other countries have already done this, yet placing a mandate on vaccination in the UK requires careful deliberation.