Cover of Vaccination Evaluated Rapidly (COVER)

This quarterly collection reports on the immunisation coverage for three cohort age groups; 12 months, 24 months and 5 years for both the local authority and GP level data. 

Please note that the GP level data is aggregate information collated and used in the normal course of business to inform operational delivery or the management of organisational performance. The information may be incomplete in places, is not quality assured to the same extent as official statistics and may not necessarily be fully representative. Data for the local authority level data is mandated and published as official statistics quarterly.

Data is collected for both local authority and GP level data quarterly from the Child Health Information System providers and submitted via the NHS Digital Strategic Data Collection Service (SDCS).

COVER is a quarterly data collection, with an annual reporting period also taking place alongside Q4. The exact dates for the data collections will be communicated to providers prior to them opening. Registered data submitters of the data collection will also receive emails from Strategic Data Collection Service (SDCS) confirming when the reporting window is opening and closing.

This quarter is the second time that we are requesting extra data relating to BCG vaccinations following a change to the COVER Information Schedule. There are two new sections at the bottom of the worksheet relating to the LA collection - Request 6 Selective BCG 3 Month Cohort (Lines 11 and 12) and Request 7 Selective BCG 12-month cohort (Lines 13 and 14) – and there is an additional worksheet titled BCG cohort for GP level data.  

These extra requirements are designed to collect:

• Request 6 Line 11 - Total number of babies eligible for BCG reaching 3 months of age in the quarter (denominator)
• Request 6 Line 12 - Total number of babies eligible for BCG reaching 3 months of age in the quarter and receiving a dose of BCG by 3 months of age (numerator)
• Request 7 Line 13 - Total number of babies eligible for BCG reaching 12 months of age in the quarter (denominator)
• Request 7 Line 14 - Total number of babies eligible for BCG reaching 12 months of age in the quarter and receiving a dose of BCG by 12 months of age (numerator)

The same items are collected by GP practice within the BCG Cohort worksheet.

The following screenshots are from the new template and suggest appropriate ways to record your data. 

Example 1

If you have data for the Selective BCG 3-month cohort, please enter as follows:

Example 2 

If you are able to collect data on the Selective BCG 3-month cohort, but there are no eligible babies this quarter, then please enter as follows: 

Example 3

If you are not able to collect data on the Selective BCG 3-month cohort, then please enter as follows:

Example 4

It is expected that you are not able to collect data on the Selective BCG 12-month cohort, therefore please enter as follows: 

Example 5 

BCG Cohort:

SDCS guidance