Asda pharmacy this week revealed that it will be offering hugely discounted flu jabs from next week as part of its “60th anniversary” celebrations.
“From September 22 we will be offering the flu jab service for just 60p for up to 6000 patients,” it said – a 96% discount from the “standard” price of £14.97.
“Once the 6,000th consultation has been delivered, the consultation price will revert back” to its usual price, it added.
Read more: BREAKING: DH imposes ‘unacceptable’ frozen flu jab fee
In a notice on its website, the pharmacy said that “online booking is required to be eligible for this promotional price”.
And it added that the NHS private flu jab is available for “customers aged 16-24″ who are “not eligible for the NHS flu campaign”.
It comes after Community Pharmacy England (CPE) announced last month that the Department of Health and Social Care (DH) has imposed a frozen service fee for the upcoming NHS adult flu vaccination programme.
“Disappointing decision”
The pharmacy fee will remain at £9.58 – the same as that paid in the previous six flu seasons – following the DH’s “refusal to increase” it, CPE said at the time.
“The proposed fee for the 2025/26 season was unacceptable to CPE and as we could not agree it, ministers took the decision to impose the fee on this occasion,” it explained.
It called the move a “very disappointing decision” but noted that it was “driven by the available budget that NHS England (NHSE) holds for vaccination services”.
Read more: DH to allow pharmacists to ‘prescribe’ flu antivirals all year
Meanwhile, earlier this month the DH revealed that pharmacists will be allowed to “prescribe flu medicines year-round” as part of a drive to reduce winter pressures on the NHS.
And CPE announced in July that it had agreed to the introduction of a “one-season trial of a new flu vaccination service for children aged two to three years” following negotiations with NHS England (NHSE).
