What we did

The New Zealand Ministry of Ministry of Health engaged us to undertake a post-implementation evaluation of the introduction of the varicella (chicken pox) vaccination to the National Immunisation Schedule (NIS).

How we did it

The evaluation, based on the World Health Organization’s New Vaccine Post-Implementation Evaluation tool, included an online survey of the vaccinator workforce, qualitative case studies engaging with primary healthcare professionals and the families/whānau of vaccine recipients, and linking data to examine the uptake of the vaccine across variables such as ethnicity, deprivation, and geographic location.

Benefits for the client

The evaluation provided the Ministry with information on the effectiveness of the implementation of the varicella vaccine, including identifying barriers and challenges associated with the vaccine implementation, and recommendations for the future implementation of new vaccines. Ultimately, the evaluation contributed to enhanced processes and practices around future NIS changes, providing for more effective and efficient use of the Ministry’s resources.

The evaluation was published on the Ministry’s website; https://www.health.govt.nz/publication/evaluation-implementation-varicella-vaccine-introduction.