BRIDGWATER MP Ian Liddell-Grainger is taking a leading role in a campaign to help protect young people’s health in his constituency.

He has signed up to promote meningitis awareness and vaccine take-up with GPs and at colleges, following a Parliamentary reception organised by charity Meningitis Now.

The charity is campaigning to increase the take-up of the lifesaving Men ACWY vaccine, which is available free to first-time university students up to the age of 25.

Mr Liddell-Grainger, Conservative member for Bridgwater and West Somerset, said the low uptake – just 17.4 per cent in England - of the Men ACWY vaccine among this at-risk age group of young people was very worrying.

“I don’t want to see anyone in my constituency dying because they didn’t know about or didn’t get around to getting this vaccination,” he said.

“As we enter the peak season for bacterial meningitis I’ll be writing to local GP practices and university leaders to urge them to do more to promote awareness and encourage improved take-up.”

Following an increase of 809 per cent in meningococcal (group W) meningitis cases in the past five years around the Government launched a vaccination programme to protect young people aged 14 to 15 through schools and those aged 17 to 18 and first-year students up to 25 through GPs and clinics.

But despite the increasing risk to students and the recent deaths of a number of them across the UK, there has been a very poor response.

Mr Liddell-Grainger said it was vital for students to protect themselves and learn the signs and symptoms of the disease.

“It only takes a few minutes and it could save theirs or their friend’s life,” he said.