Services Database Pharmacy Enhanced Service for Seasonal Influenza Vaccination 2014-15

Service ID

19111

Description

The objective of the influenza immunisation programme is to protect those who are most at risk of serious illness or death should they develop influenza. Pharmacies involved in the service must promote the influenza programme, advertise their service and offer vaccination to patients 18 years and over in the at risk groups including pregnant women. The children’s flu programme is using the recommended nasal vaccine Fluenz among who are 6 months to 17 years old. For the purposes of this programme the cohort of patients will be aged 18 years to under 65 years and pregnant women between the 1 September and 30 November and all patients from 1 December to 31 January.

Location of service

Lancashire & South Cumbria LPC

Commissioner

NHS England

Method of commissioning

NHS Enhanced service (AT)

Source of funding

NHS England

Service type

Seasonal influenza vaccination

Other organisations involved

Dates

Start date: 01/09/2014
End date: 31/01/2015

Status

Completed

Training

The pharmacist must have attended an annual formal immunisation programme that meets the National Minimum Standards for Immunisation Training 2005 (published by the Health Protection Agency / Public Health England) and have the necessary knowledge, skills and competency to administer the vaccines. (This includes ensuring that training and skills are maintained regularly at least once a year). The pharmacist may have their competency assessed by a practising immuniser in accordance with specific competency criteria as set out by the HPA/PHE.

Training must provide pharmacists with the skills necessary for administering intra-muscular injection, including:

  • needle length and needle bevel – research findings on the significance of this;
  • body mass and choice of needle length;
  • intramuscular sites and the rationale for this choice;
  • how to administer an intramuscular injection, including patient assessment, side effects and contraindications to influenza administration; and
  • anaphylaxis – recognition and treatment. 

Pharmacists must also be up to date with annual resuscitation and anaphylaxis training and meet the standards and guidance as stipulated by the Green Book and PGD. Pharmacist can access resuscitation update via elearning module, PHE e-learning module (On-line immunisation training modules is available Skills for Health Core Learning:

https://corelearning.skillsforhealth.org.uk/local/sfhadmin/login/index.php and NPA e-learning module or other suitable training providers.

Pharmacists responsible for vaccination must be signed up to and work within the current Area Team seasonal flu Patient Group Direction and completed training to work under PGDs.

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