Pharmacists are now able to deliver the national flu scheme, PSNC has announced.

The long-awaited documents necessary for pharmacists to begin vaccinating patients – including the Patient Group Direction (PGD) and NHS England notification – were published yesterday evening (September 16), the negotiator said.

Contractors who meet the training, premises and reporting requirements and are "fully ready" to start vaccinations can deliver the service as soon they complete a form on the NHS Business Services Authority website to notify NHS England, PSNC said.

PSNC director of NHS services Alastair Buxton said he hopes pharmacy teams “really get behind this important service and show patients and the NHS just what community pharmacy is capable of”.

The documents published yesterday also include legal authorisation from the government for pharmacists to deliver – and be reimbursed for – the service.

The announcement follows the publication of the service specification on Monday (September 14). At the time, Pharmacy London chief executive officer Rekha Shah urged pharmacists to complete the declaration of competence required to deliver the scheme as soon as possible.

PSNC has produced a briefing document with details of what pharmacists need to have in place before delivering flu vaccinations. Flyers and leaflets to alert patients to the service can be downloaded from the PSNC website.

Have your say - sign up to be part of C+D's webinar on the national flu service. If you want to share your thoughts or put a question to the panel, email [email protected] with the subject line ‘Webinar’, or tweet us@ChemistDruggist with the hashtag: #pharmflu