Vaccination

Community pharmacists in Kent have been prescribing the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine to health workers in the area at the request of their local CCG.

Simon Dukes says he is hopeful the Covid-19 pandemic will help put an end to competition between pharmacies and GP surgeries over flu jabs.

Community pharmacy teams must receive the Covid-19 vaccination at the same time as other health professionals, the RPS has said.

NHS England & improvement has confirmed that “selected” community pharmacies will be invited to take part in England’s Covid-19 vaccination programme.

Pharmacies in Scotland who take part in the Covid-19 vaccination programme will receive £12.58 for every dose of vaccine they administer.

Pharmacists working in general practice are likely to find themselves deployed as part of the workforce that will vaccinate the population against the coronavirus.

NHS England & Improvement has said it will “very soon” release details of how some community pharmacies could “lead vaccination sites”.

Pharmacies in England could potentially be administering a Covid-19 vaccine before the end of 2020, an NHS chief’s comments suggest.

Pharmacies received guidance on Friday explaining how to order flu jabs - but are still unable to place orders. 

An unlicensed flu vaccine used in the US for the past three winters has been granted temporary authorisation for the UK.

Community pharmacies will receive additional supplies of flu vaccine from the start of November along with general practices, the PSNC has stressed.

Supermarket chain Asda has launched a drive through flu jab service operated by pharmacists.

The Pharmacists’ Defence Association has said some pharmacists are “making irresponsible remarks” on social media regarding the flu service. 

RPS members say they support the Government using “healthcare professionals who would not normally vaccinate”.

Community pharmacies vaccinated more than 650,000 NHS patients in the first three weeks of this year’s flu jab service.

There is a “clear advantage” to offering future pharmacists vaccination training as part of their degree, says the FIP.

Pharmacy minister Jo Churchill received her flu jab earlier today at a branch of Greenlight Pharmacy.

Exclusive: GPs seeking to dissuade patients from having their flu jab in a community pharmacy are not being constructive, says Nigel Mills MP. 

Community pharmacists will be able to provide flu vaccinations “in any appropriate space within the pharmacy” this flu season, says NHS England. 

Some health boards in Scotland may decide not to involve community pharmacies in the provision of NHS flu vaccinations.