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Funding for the 2025/26 flu vaccination service is still being considered by ministers, even though the service specification has now been published.

The start dates for this year’s seasonal programme have already been confirmed in an NHS England letter. Pharmacies will only be able to vaccinate pregnant women from 1 September. Vaccination of the other adult cohorts will commence from 1 October.

The PGD and national protocol are expected to be published shortly, says Community Pharmacy England, adding that only  a small number of changes have been made to the service specification from last year.

Key changes highlighted by CPE are:

• Removal of references to supervision, and clarification that the responsible pharmacist at the pharmacy is responsible for overseeing the service.
• A requirement that permission must be sought from the commissioner prior to undertaking off-site vaccination.
• Clarification that for off-premises provision, an on-site pharmacist or pharmacy technician providing the service must be linked and work closely with the responsible pharmacist and superintendent pharmacist through an appropriate governance framework to ensure appropriate oversight of the service;
• Clarification of Appendix B of the service specification with the pending patient group direction (PGD) confirming:
  • Adjuvanted trivalent influenza vaccine (aTIV) can be used for those aged 49 years of age who turn 50 years of age by 31 March 2026
  • High-dose quadrivalent / trivalent influenza vaccine (Q)/(T)IV-HD can be used for those aged 59 years of age who will turn 60 years old by 31 March 2026
  • Eligibility clarified for those aged 18-64 years old to reflect that the cohort contains those in a clinical risk group and also some individuals who are not at risk but whose vaccination helps prevent transmission to those who are at risk, such as household contacts, carers and pregnant women.