Pharmacies to provide new MenB vac service
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and NHS England have announced a new community pharmacy vaccination service to provide a one-off Meningococcal B (MenB) Vaccination Service.
The new Advanced service is targeted to protect young people heading to universities or residential further education settings ahead of the start of term in autumn 2026.
Negotiations about the service with NHS England are close to concluding and we hope to be in a position to share further details with pharmacy owners very soon.
The start of the service is planned towards the end of July 2026.
Who will be eligible?
- All Year 13 students (born between 1st September 2007 and 31st August 2008);
- Under-25s entering university or residential further education for the first time; and
- International students under 25 years old entering their first year of university.
The size of the eligible cohort of patients is estimated to be around 1 million people.
What will be provided?
Pharmacy owners are being asked to administer two doses of the MenB vaccine to provide full protection to people.
Following the first dose, a second dose should be administered at least 28 days later and ideally before term starts in September 2026.
The vaccine will be provided to pharmacies by NHS England from centrally procured stock.
Why now?
Meningococcal disease is life-threatening and can result in life-changing disabilities. It is fatal in around 10% of cases. The service follows the recent rise in cases and clusters in England, including the largest and fastest outbreak in Kent earlier this year.
England saw 313 confirmed MenB cases in 2024/25, around 83% of these were MenB and it disproportionately affects teenagers and younger adults.
Eligible students will be offered vaccinations before they start university, where close and prolonged contact in halls and at social events can increase the risk of contracting MenB disease. Two doses of the vaccine are essential for protection.
The goal is to rapidly protect those at highest risk ahead of the start of term while monitoring trends to allow the Government to be informed regarding any future vaccine rollout.
The vaccination programme is being rolled out at pace and is expected to begin towards the end of July. In an unusual approach, due to the speed required to implement the service and the Government’s desire to put steps in place to protect people ahead of autumn, DHSC is announcing their plans for the service while negotiations with Community Pharmacy England are still in progress.
Speaking about the service, Janet Morrison, Chief Executive of CPE said:
“The Meningococcal B vaccination programme will be an important step in protecting young people this summer and it is no surprise that the NHS and Government are looking to community pharmacy to help; pharmacies have a strong track-record in making sure vaccinations get to the people who need them most.
“Negotiations about pharmacy’s involvement are ongoing, but we hope to be in a position to share further details with pharmacy owners very soon.”
Fin McCaul, Chair of CPE’s Service Development Subcommittee and Regional Representative said:
“The Government’s desire to involve community pharmacy in the Meningococcal B vaccination programme is a really positive development: it is testament to the amazing way in which pharmacies continue to step up and deliver – despite facing very serious ongoing challenges.
“It additionally highlights the constructive relationship that the sector still has with the Government and NHS.
“With a new Secretary of State for Health now in place, it’s encouraging to see Ministers once again turning to pharmacy for solutions.”
