Objectives: To describe the impact of a collaborative immunisation pro
gramme, between an inner city practice and the Eastern Health Board (E
HB). Design: An observational study using a computer database formed f
rom practice and EHB records. Setting: One Dublin inner city practice
with three partners located in an area with a deprived socio-economic
profile. Subjects: All patients in the practice aged more than six mon
ths and less than five years identified both from practice registers a
nd opportunistically during study period. Results: 342 children, older
than six months and less than five years were identified at start and
464 (a 36% increase) by end of the programme. Uptake changed for DPT
from 30% before, to 57% after the programme (p<0.0005), for DT from 15
% to 13%, for Hib from 7% to 50% (p<0.0005) and for MMR (over 15 month
s) from 53% to 75% (p<0.0005). Uptake of the DPT, Hib and MMR was 35%
among GMS eligible, 51% among GMS ineligible (p<0.005). Conclusion: A
collaborative immunisation programme significantly improved practice u
ptake rates. These improved rates still do not attain declared nationa
l targets. To achieve these targets, radical overhaul of the immunisat
ion service is required.