Flu Vaccination Service
Community pharmacy has been providing flu vaccinations under a nationally commissioned service since September 2015.
The 2021/22 flu vaccination programme
Vaccination of frontline primary care health care workers and available funding letter (29th September 2021)
National flu immunisation programme update letter (17th July 2021)
Updated NHSE&I letter on flu vaccines for the 2021/22 season (1st April 2021)
Guidance published on accessing DHSC flu vac stock
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has published guidance on how community pharmacy contractors will be able to access supplies of flu vaccines procured centrally by the Government. In order to achieve even higher vaccine uptake rates compared to last year, DHSC has secured an additional supply of influenza vaccines, as a temporary measure for this year only.
DHSC has ordered additional stocks of QIVc, QIVe and QIVr, with the stock arriving in November. DHSC will sell some of their centrally procured stock to the pharmacy wholesalers, for onward sale to pharmacy contractors.
Read more about how to access the stock
Flu vac: updated PGD and national protocol published
November 9, 2021
Download the updated flu vaccination service spec and PGD
Download the updated national protocol for inactivated influenza vaccine
Data collection requirements
Contractors will need to keep a manual record of the number of primary care staff they vaccinate in the service (in addition to their normal clinical records for the service). This data should separately count the number of staff vaccinated from each of the four contractor groups, with it being reported each month on the NHS Business Services Authority’s Manage Your Service (MYS) platform in a new module, which will be linked to from the main MYS flu vaccination module.
PSNC has published a tally chart for contractors to use to keep a manual count of the number of staff from each primary care setting they have vaccinated each month.
Clinical records for this group of patients vaccinated under the Advanced service should be kept as usual, with claims for the vaccinations administered being recorded under the ‘Frontline health and social care staff’ category in the main MYS flu vaccination module (the separate manual data collection is just for evaluation purposes and this data will not affect the claim for payment).
Click on a link below for more information.
Service specification for the flu vaccination Advanced Service 2021/22 (updated 29th September 2021)
The service specification describes the requirements for provision of the service and it is essential reading for all pharmacists providing the service.
National Patient Group Direction 2021/22
The national Patient Group Direction (PGD) provides the legal mechanism for administration of flu vaccine under the service; it should not be used for any other purpose. Enquiries regarding the use of this PGD should be directed to ENGLAND.communitypharmacy@nhs.net
National protocol for inactivated influenza vaccine 2021/22
This protocol provides a legal mechanism for the administration of inactivated influenza vaccine by appropriately trained persons in accordance with regulation 247A of the Human Medicines Regulations 2012 (HMR 2012), inserted by The Human Medicines (Coronavirus and Influenza) (Amendment) Regulations 2020.
Note: although the protocol allows provision of flu vaccinations to people aged from 6 months to under 50 years in a clinical risk group, the service specification for community pharmacy is for the provision of a flu vaccination to patients aged 18 years and older who are specified in Annex A of the specification.
Amendments to the Pharmaceutical Services (Advanced and Enhanced Services) (England) Directions 2013
The Secretary of State Directions provide the legal basis for the provision of the service.
PSNC Briefing 023/21: Guidance on the 2021/22 Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Advanced Service
This PSNC Briefing provides guidance for community pharmacy contractors and their teams on the 2021/22 NHS Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Advanced Service in England.
For more information on the following please visit PSNC:
- Additional resources for pharmacy teams
- Guidance on use of Personal Protective Equipment
- Training requirements and resources
- Record keeping and data requirements
- Communicating with GP practices
- Vaccinating outside the consultation room & off-site
- Promoting the service to patients
- Funding, claiming payment and post-payment verification
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Information and resources for LPCs
- Flu Vaccination Service statistics
Local training provided by the LPC:
Following the expressions of interest sought in May 2021 and subsequent bookings by 20th June, the following local training was held:
- Sunday 4th July AM & PM at Resource Finder, Albion House, Albion Lane, Willerby, HU10 6TS.
- Wednesday 22nd July Eve at Resource Finder, Albion House, Albion Lane, Willerby, HU10 6TS
- Sunday 25th July AM at Resource Finder, Albion House, Albion Lane, Willerby, HU10 6TS
For those who could not attend this local training, please feel free to contact ECG directly for any possible further training available, or visit PSNC on the link above for alternative training provider suggestions.
Virtual Outcomes:
Free training is also available to all Humber pharmacies via Virtual Outcomes:
Flu Virtual Outcomes 2021 flyer
Pharmacy Training – Virtual Outcomes
PharmOutcomes Support:
Please click here to read the latest PharmOutcomes support update June 2021.
