Reminder: flu vac – are you clear about when it starts?

Pharmacy owners are reminded that while the flu vaccination service can now be provided to pregnant women, vaccination of all other eligible adult cohorts for the 2024/25 campaign cannot commence until 3rd October 2024.

Read our earlier news story for further context

The delayed start for the main adult cohorts applies to both pharmacies and general practices.

Communicating with patients about the later start to the programme

Pharmacy teams will want to explain to their patients about the later start to the programme and why this change has been made by NHS England. We have developed a poster to communicate these messages for use in pharmacies.

Poster for the public on flu vac timing changes

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) have also published a leaflet aimed at the public to explain the timing changes for the vaccination programme:

UKHSA patient leaflet on flu vaccination timing

Dealing with local issues related to the service

Sometimes, issues with the service may arise between general practices and community pharmacies; in this situation, pharmacy owners may wish to seek support and advice from their Local Pharmaceutical Committee (LPC).

If an issue arises, we advise pharmacy owners to raise the issue with the general practice concerned. If that does not resolve the issue, pharmacy owners should raise the matter with their Integrated Care Board and their LPC.

Visit our Flu vaccination webpage for further information and resources