title: A quantitative review of healthcare professionals' questions to a local immunization advice service: 4299 enquiries from 3 years.
abstract: Immunization advice services can support health professionals by providing rapid access to accurate and reliable current information and advice. The Vaccine Advice for Clinicians Service (VACCSline) is a service for health professionals working within the Thames Valley Area of the UK.
  
  
  
  We reviewed all 4299 enquiries received by VACCSline over 3 years. Queries were summarized by vaccine type and topic of enquiry. Associations with profession and workplace of the enquirer were tested using Fisher's exact tests.
  
  
  
  Incomplete immunization status and non-UK schedules were the most common topics of enquiry. Practice nurses were the main service users followed by doctors. Enquiries varied by professional role. Alterations to the immunization programme led to temporary changes to enquiry content and some more persistent adjustments in the balance of enquiries were identified, such as an increase in enquiries relating to vaccination in pregnancy.
  
  
  
  The content of enquiries to VACCSline is broad, confirming the need for immunizers to have a wide knowledge base and access to specialist advice to assist with complex scenarios. Systematic data capture provided intelligence to guide training and materials to support immunizers. A wider networked application of this approach could improve support for immunizers.
authors: Oxford Vaccine Group, Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford and the NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, CCVTM, Churchill Hospital, Oxford OX3 7LE, UK.
authors: Karen J
authors: KJ
authors: Ford
authors: Public Health England South East, Didcot, Oxon OX11 0RQ, UK.
authors: Sarah
authors: S
authors: Lang
authors: Oxford Vaccine Group, Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford and the NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, CCVTM, Churchill Hospital, Oxford OX3 7LE, UK.
authors: Andrew J
authors: AJ
authors: Pollard
authors: Division of Health Sciences, Warwick Medical School, The University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK.
authors: Noel D
authors: ND
authors: McCarthy
mesh_terms: D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D017589:Immunization Programs / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D057226:Information Seeking Behavior; D009726:Nurses / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006113:United Kingdom; D014612:Vaccines
chemical_list: D014612:Vaccines
keywords: immunization; public health