Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) age-based cohorts: Cohort identification methodology

The NHS England Vaccination and Screening directorate, through Vaccines Digital Services (VDS), commissioned Cohorting as a Service (CaaS) to identify patients in specific age-based categories as outlined in the Green Book chapter 21, chapter 23 and chapter 28.

CaaS output a list of individuals included in the  digital cohort. Patient identifiable data was made available via the Data Processing Service (DPS). 

This data was used to drive initiation and for delivering and monitoring the MMR vaccination programme, both the general MMR programme (running continuously) and a specific catch-up campaign running from 1 January to 18 October 2024.

Age-based cohort as outlined in the 'Other Risk Groups' within the Green Book or age groups specifically requested by the vaccination programme.

The campaign was split into 4 cohorts:

Cohort 1 - (primary school) anyone equal to or above 6 years old and less than 11 years old on 31 August 2023.

Cohort 2 - (secondary school) anyone equal to or above 11 years old and less than 16 years old on 31 August 2023.

Cohort 3 - anyone equal to or above 16 years old and less than 19 years old on 31 August 2023.

Cohort 4 - anyone equal to or above 19 years old by 31 August 2023 and less than 26 years old on 31 March 2024.

This document outlines CaaS' approach to deliver this cohort using established methodologies.

Data sets used are:

Personal Demographics Service

Everyone in the age groups listed in the eligible cohorts section of this document as detailed in the 'Other Risk Groups' within the Green Book.