The Green Book & HBN 14-02 - Golden Rules for Vaccine Storage

The Green Book - officially titled ‘Immunisation Against Infectious Disease’ and the Scottish equivalent HBN 14-02 – is the UK Health Security Agency’s Best Practice guide for professionals involved in administering and managing vaccines.

Chapter Three explains how to store vaccines correctly to ensure they retain their potency and keep people protected. Every health professional should be familiar with this guidance.

Why is Correct Storage Important?

The optimum temperature range for storing vaccines is between +2° to +8°. 

If vaccines are exposed to temperatures outside this range, even briefly, they can biodegrade and lose their potency. This damage cannot be reversed.

Wasted vaccines can compromise patient immunity – in worst case scenarios requiring a recall for repeat vaccinations – cause increased costs to the NHS, and reduce public confidence in the vaccination programme.

You can minimise these risks by following the Green Book guidance.
 

Green Book Guidance – Key Points

• Vaccines must be stored in an approved medical fridge – often called a pharmacy fridge – with lockable doors. A domestic fridge should never be used.
• Vaccines must be stored within a temperature range of +2° to +8°.
• The fridge temperature should be checked and recorded at least once a day and up to twice a day.
• Temperatures should be recorded using a digital thermometer, ideally one that has a probe located in the centre of the stock.
• The refrigerator is the right size to meet the vaccination storage needs.
• The refrigerator is placed in a suitable position (ventilated and away from heat sources).
• There is a maintenance contract that allows for at least yearly servicing and calibration of the temperature gauge.
• Data loggers, which continuously monitor and record the temperature of the fridge, are recommended.
   

The Four Rs

You should follow the Green Book’s ‘Four ‘R’s’ when checking temperatures:

• Read temperatures at the same time daily and sign the sheet when completed.
• Record the temperature in a standard fashion on a temperature monitoring chart.
• Reset the temperature after each reading.
• React if the temperature falls outside +2°C to +8°C.
   

Why is a Medical Fridge essential?

Certified medical fridges like our Pharmacy Plus range have been engineered to provide the ideal storage conditions for cold chain products such as vaccines.

They also provide a number of features to help maintain stable temperatures, make temperature recording more accurate and effective, and take the pressure off busy healthcare staff. 

• A dual probe temperature monitor which measures both the interior temperature of both the fridge and the vaccines stored inside.
• Bluetooth enabled local temperature monitoring, with easy access to data via the Lec Medical app.
• Intelligent fan management system to help prevent warm air getting into the fridge.
• Chapter 3 states ‘At least one maximum-minimum thermometer that is independent of mains power should be used (as well as any integrated thermometer), so temperatures can be measured in the event of electricity loss. All Pharmacy Plus fridges assist with a power failure alarm and a 48-hour battery back-up, which issues instant alerts and protects data in the event of a power cut and provide a continuous temperature reading throughout.
• Digital security locks or key locks on all pharmacy fridges.

Maintaining Your Medical Fridge

The Green Book gives advice on how to stock and maintain your medical fridge to optimise its efficiency and maximise its lifespan.

Our best practice guides will help you get the most from your product.

Following the Green Book guidance can protect patient safety, the public purse – and your reputation. If you want further help or advice, the Lec Medical team will be happy to help. 

You can contact us here: https://www.lec-medical.co.uk/en-gb/contact