- New real-world research in Bradford and beyond evaluates the new respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) bronchiolitis vaccination programme
- Researchers will examine how well the vaccine protects infants, especially high-risk babies, and what drives protection in a range of patient groups
- Findings will support NHS sites across the country to optimise RSV bronchiolitis protection for newborns
The Bradford Institute for Health Research (BIHR) at Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (BTHFT) is playing a leading role in understanding how to protect babies against RSV bronchiolitis, a common winter virus.
This collaboration, supported by NIHR Applied Research Collaboration Yorkshire & Humber (YH ARC) and the University of Oxford, leads a national effort to understand how well the new Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) bronchiolitis vaccination programme is working, how protection can be optimised for the greatest number of infants, and how to protect babies at higher risk such as prematurely born infants.
Researchers have chosen to embed this research directly into maternity and neonatal care pathways, to ensure findings can benefit families across the UK.
Dr Jonathan Broad, Lead for paediatric infection and immunity in the BaBi Network Bradford site*, and Paediatrician at University of Oxford, said:
RSV is the leading cause of infant hospitalisation in the UK, costing the NHS more than £60 million each year. We are working directly within our maternity and neonatal services to understand how the new RSV vaccination protects our local population and beyond, ensuring we benefit the greatest number of babies.
The research includes two complementary studies that are now under way. “RSV-Protect” tracks vaccine uptake and measure real-world effectiveness, with a particular focus on whether timing of vaccination or being in a higher-risk group affects protection.
The RSV-Immune study goes deeper, following mothers and babies through Bradford Teaching Hospitals to examine how protection against RSV bronchiolitis transfers from mother to baby, how long that protection lasts, and what this means for preterm babies who face the greatest risk from severe infection.
Professor John Wright, Director of NIHR Applied Research Collaboration and BIHR said:
This work positions Bradford at the forefront of evaluating the new RSV bronchiolitis vaccination programme. As the youngest city in the UK, it is crucial that we understand how best to protect our growing population of babies.
By generating real‑world evidence we then can implement the findings across NHS to support our communities, especially those with babies at higher risk.
Dr Sunil Bhopal, Consultant Community Paediatrician and Director of Child Health Research at Born in Bradford said:
RSV places a disproportionate burden on families already facing disadvantage. If we are serious about tackling health inequalities, we must ensure that new vaccination programmes reach those at highest risk and deliver meaningful protection. Research like this helps us understand where improvements are needed and how to make prevention fairer.
Dr Chris Jackson, Consultant Neonatologist caring for premature and critically ill newborns, said:
Premature babies have fragile lungs and immature immune systems, making them particularly vulnerable to RSV infection. Families often ask what more can be done to protect their child. Through this research, we can provide clearer answers and contribute to evidence that improves care both locally and nationally.
Shahima, a participant in the study, said:
Research plays a really important role in finding the best ways to prevent and treat illnesses. I decided to take part in the RSV study to help protect my baby and other babies from this disease. I’d encourage other pregnant mums to consider getting involved too, so we can learn more about how to keep babies safe from RSV.
RSV-Protect and RSV-Immune are part of the BaBi Network, hosted by BIHR at BTHFT. BaBi is a network of local electronic birth cohorts aiming to transform the health and wellbeing of babies and their families through the use and integration of routine data.
Together, the studies will generate evidence that help clinicians and policymakers optimise the programme for the babies who need it most and support other NHS trusts to do the same.