Services Database Provision of Seasonal Influenza Vaccination in 2014-15 (Across the Shropshire & Staffordshire Areas – 3 LPCs involved)

Please note this service is commissioned across Shropshire and Staffordshire by the Shropshire & Staffordshire Area Team. Therefore, the following LPCs have the same seasonal influenza vaccination service in their areas:

• North Staffordshire & Stoke on Trent LPC
• Shropshire LPC
• South Staffordshire LPC

The service has only been added onto the Services Database under this entry to avoid duplication.

This year NHS England Shropshire & Staffordshire have agreed to allow pharmacy to contribute towards the national flu immunisation programme targeting the following cohort of patients:

• those aged 65 years and over;
• those aged from 18 years to under 65 in clinical risk groups; and
• pregnant women aged 18 years and over.

Clinical risk groups include those with, chronic respiratory disease, chronic heart disease, chronic kidney disease, chronic liver disease, chronic neurological disease, diabetes, immunosuppression, and asplenia or dysfunction of the spleen. 

Pharmacists are able to offer the influenza vaccination under a Patient Group Direction (PGD).

It is mandated that all pharmacists undertaking seasonal influenza immunisations in this service level agreement will be appropriately trained.

Training must cover the administration of immunisations in accordance with the Health Protection Agency Core Curriculum (2005) to include vaccine preventable disease, cold chain requirements, intramuscular immunisation technique, use of Patient Group Directions and specifically flu vaccine administration. An accredited training course must have been successfully completed

The Area Team will maintain an approved list of accredited flu vaccination training courses. The following list includes those that have been approved as of 1 August 2014.

• Novartis;
• Numark;
• Boots Flu Vaccination Training Programme; or
• Morrisons Flu Vaccination Training Programme. 

If pharmacists wish to attend training provided by organisations others than those listed above, then the Area Team will have to be contacted in advance to allow for verification checks to be undertaken.

Training will include management of anaphylaxis including documentary evidence of anaphylaxis training undertaken since 1 April 2014.

Pharmacists that have previously undertaken flu vaccination training in 2012 or 2013 will be required to complete a declaration on PharmOutcomes to confirm that they have had their annual update and confirm they have the relevant competencies to deliver the flu vaccination service as outlined in this SLA.

Each individual pharmacist will have to sign the relevant PGDs and maintain copies for inspection if required.