NHS England (NHSE) this week (July 21) published the service specification for the 2025/26 pharmacy flu vaccination advanced service.
But Community Pharmacy England (CPE) revealed that the service fee for the upcoming season is “still being considered by ministers” following its “submission of an evidence-based case for an increase in the fee”.
The negotiator said that it hopes ministers will make a decision “shortly”.
Read more: Pharmacies deliver record number of flu jabs ‘outside of pandemic’
CPE also set out that a “small number” of amendments have been made to this year’s service specification compared to last year.
These include the “removal of references to supervision and clarification that the responsible pharmacist at the registered pharmacy premises is professionally responsible for overseeing the service”, it said.
Read more: DH ‘exploring’ NHS childhood flu jab rollout in pharmacies
Another “key” change is that pharmacy owners must now obtain permission from the commissioner to deliver vaccinations off the pharmacy premises, it added.
Where off-premises provision is approved, “an on-site pharmacist or pharmacy technician providing the service must be linked and work closely with the responsible pharmacist and superintendent” through an “appropriate governance framework”, CPE said.
Read more: Flu: ‘No changes’ to eligibility as autumn start dates announced
Other amendments set out that:
- High-dose quadrivalent/trivalent influenza vaccine (Q)/(T)IV-HD can be used for those aged 59 who will turn 60 by March 31 2026
- The 18-64 cohort includes those in a clinical risk group and some individuals who are not at risk but whose vaccination helps prevent transmission to those who are such as household contacts, carers and pregnant women
- The adjuvanted trivalent influenza vaccine (aTIV) can be used for those aged 49 who turn 50 by March 31 2026
September 1 launch
CPE also reiterated that pharmacies will only be able to vaccinate pregnant women from September 1 under the NHS flu jab programme, with vaccination of other adult cohorts to begin from October 1.
And it added that the patient group direction (PGD) and national protocol for the service will be published “shortly”.
Read more: NI extends free flu jabs to over-50s as other nations rule out move
It comes after the Company Chemists’ Association (CCA) last month revealed that pharmacies in England administered the “highest number” of flu vaccines “outside of the pandemic” in the 2024/25 flu season.
Also in June, the government revealed that it is “exploring the use” of community pharmacies to deliver the childhood flu national immunisation programme.
The annual flu letter confirmed in February that the vaccination of all “frontline health care staff”, including pharmacy staff, should be offered from the start of October but “will not qualify for payment or reimbursement”.
