Access to vaccination services has increased in recent years with community pharmacies in England delivering more vital and convenient services than ever before.
Since September 2015, community pharmacies have played a major role in preventing seasonal flu through a nationally commissioned service. During the COVID-19 pandemic, community pharmacies showed their agility and reach to vaccinate communities at pace and continue to deliver vaccinations under a National Enhanced Service COVID-19 Vaccination Service. More recently, pilots for Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) and Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccinations have highlighted how pharmacies can provide positive impact for emerging health challenges through vaccination. In addition to nationally commissioned services, some pharmacies may also deliver locally commissioned vaccination and/or private vaccination services such as travel clinics.
Recent legislative changes allow a pharmacy technician to supply and administer certain medicines under a Patient Group Direction (PGD). In recognition of this change, pharmacy technicians are included in the current national Flu and COVID-19 PGDs – boosting workforce capacity and access to vital services.
In addition to delivering vaccination services, pharmacy teams are well placed to help address vaccine hesitancy and misinformation as well as advising on a range of health promotion and public health initiatives. This enables people to make considered, informed choices through shared decision making.
To deliver these vaccination services you need to undertake training, gain competence, access and be familiar with the service specification and the associated Patient Group Direction (PGD) or national protocol.
National Flu vaccination service:
COVID-19 vaccination service:
When working under a PGD, pharmacy professionals must be authorised by name under the current published version of the PGD before working according to it. Pharmacy professionals should only administer vaccinations where it is within their scope of clinical practice, and they have undertaken appropriate training.
Before commencement of the service, pharmacy contractors must ensure that pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and pharmacy staff providing the service are competent to do so.
As a pharmacy professional, you are personally responsible for keeping your knowledge and skills up to date and relevant to your roles and responsibilities which will include responding to new guidance, standards and any relevant learning programmes and assessments.
The National Minimum Standards and Core Curriculum for Immunisation Training for Registered Healthcare Practitioners describes the minimum training, assessment and supervision that should be provided to those with a role in delivering immunisation.
To administer vaccines, you must have undertaken practical training that meets the requirements of the National Minimum Standards and Core Curriculum for Immunisation. This includes practical training in vaccination, basic life support and administration of adrenaline for anaphylaxis.
It is likely that your commissioner, employer or pharmacy owner will have determined how frequently you will need to attend practical training. Please refer to the PGD, service specification or national protocol (as appropriate) for information.
You will find a list of training providers on the Community Pharmacy England (CPE) website.
The National Minimum Standards and Core Curriculum for Immunisation Training for Registered Healthcare Practitioners note that in addition to acquiring knowledge through a theoretical taught course, practitioners need to develop clinical skills in administration of vaccines and apply their knowledge in practice. A period of supervised practice with a registered healthcare practitioner who is experienced, up to date and competent in immunisation, is strongly recommended. If you are returning to immunisation after a prolonged gap, you may also need a period of supervised practice. Please refer to the PGD, service specification or national protocol (as appropriate) for more information.
As a pharmacy professional you are responsible for keeping your knowledge and skills up to date. The Vaccination services DoC system helps you reflect on your skills, identify gaps and meet your learning and assessment needs. It also allows you to show commissioners and employers/pharmacy owners that you are competent to provide the vaccination service.
The UKHSA flu vaccinator competency assessment tool supports you to demonstrate you are competent to deliver flu vaccinations. It can be used for self-assessment or formal evaluation. New flu vaccinators are advised to complete it for assessment and sign-off of their clinical skills.
The UKHSA COVID-19 vaccinator competency assessment tool supports you to demonstrate you are competent to deliver COVID-19 vaccinations. It can be used for self-assessment tool, an assessment tool for use with a supervisor or both.
In this section you will find a selection of suggested resources, e-learning and supporting assessments intended to help you to meet your own individual development needs.
Immunisations against infectious disease – also known as the Green Book - has the latest information on vaccines and vaccination procedures in the UK.
