Flu vac: 2025/26 service spec published
Following discussions with Community Pharmacy England, the service specification for the 2025/26 Community Pharmacy Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Advanced Service has been published today by NHS England.
Changes to the service requirements
Only a small number of amendments have been made to the service specification compared to last year.
The key changes are:
- Removal of references to supervision and clarification that the responsible pharmacist at the registered pharmacy premises is professionally responsible for overseeing the service.
- A requirement that permission must be sought from the commissioner prior to undertaking vaccination off the pharmacy premises.
- Clarification that for off-premises provision, an on-site pharmacist or pharmacy technician providing the service must be linked and work closely with the responsible pharmacist and superintendent pharmacist through an appropriate governance framework to ensure appropriate oversight of the service;
- The addition of standardised wording to bring it into alignment with other Advanced services.
- Clarification and alignment of Appendix B of the service specification with the pending patient group direction (PGD) confirming:
- Adjuvanted trivalent influenza vaccine (aTIV) can be used for those aged 49 years of age who turn 50 years of age by 31st March 2026;
- High-dose quadrivalent / trivalent influenza vaccine (Q)/(T)IV-HD can be used for those aged 59 years of age who will turn 60 years old by 31st March 2026; and
- Eligibility clarified for those aged 18-64 years old to reflect that the cohort contains those in a clinical risk group and also some individuals who are not at risk but whose vaccination helps prevent transmission to those who are at risk, e.g. household contacts, carers and pregnant women.
Timings for the 2025/26 service
As confirmed in the NHS England system letter from 1st September 2025, pharmacies will only be able to vaccinate pregnant women.
From 1st October 2025, vaccination of the other adult cohorts will commence.
PGD and National Protocol
The PGD and national protocol are expected to be published shortly.
Funding
For the 2025/26 season, the service fee is still being considered by Ministers, following our submission of an evidence-based case for an increase in the fee.
Once Ministers make a decision on that matter, we will let pharmacy owners know the outcome, which we hope will be shortly.
