Childhood Immunisation Rates: Hippo Labs' Innovative Approach

Tom Cronin
May 16
2 min read

The Current Challenge

The UK has experienced a concerning drop in childhood immunisation rates over the past decade. Factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic, widespread misinformation, and increased pressures on healthcare systems have significantly contributed to this decline. This has resulted in heightened vulnerability to outbreaks of preventable diseases, as demonstrated by recent measles cases in the West Midlands.

Hippo Labs' Pioneering Research

At Hippo Labs, we are directly addressing this urgent public health issue through deep research and automated technological methodologies. Our work focuses specifically on developing innovative eligibility rules designed to effectively identify children who are at risk due to incomplete or missed vaccinations.

Advanced Eligibility Indicators for Child Immunisation

Unlike conventional frameworks, such as the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF), Hippo Labs has developed a set of sophisticated, evidence-based eligibility indicators. These indicators integrate crucial updates from the 2025/26 GP Contract amendments, alongside recommendations from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) and the latest guidance from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). This integration ensures our indicators remain at the cutting edge of patient identification and public health management.

Unique Mutually Exclusive Sub-indicators

A defining feature of our methodology is the creation of mutually exclusive sub-indicators. This ensures that each child is categorised precisely once, even if multiple vaccines are overdue. This targeted approach reduces administrative duplication, improves campaign efficiency, and ensures healthcare resources are optimally allocated.

Comprehensive Immunisation Recall Campaign

Our newly developed immunisation recall campaign targets unvaccinated or partially vaccinated children up to 10 years old. The campaign addresses essential vaccinations, including those for diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough), polio, measles, mumps, rubella (MMR), and meningitis B (MenB). This comprehensive strategy is vital in protecting individual children and reinforcing community immunity to prevent outbreaks.

Commitment to Community Health

Hippo Labs' mission extends beyond conventional healthcare analytics. We leverage advanced data-driven insights to empower healthcare providers, improve patient outcomes, and create measurable public health improvements. By closing critical vaccination gaps, we are committed to promoting healthier communities and safeguarding the wellbeing of future generations across the UK.