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Flu jabs: let’s do a fantastic job

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Flu jabs: let’s do a fantastic job

If Australia’s experience is anything to go by, we all need to be ready to deal with a particularly bad flu outbreak this year, says NPA chief pharmacist Leyla Hannbeck.

NHS chief executive Simon Stevens has warned that the UK could be in for an exceptionally bad flu outbreak this winter. Australia experienced its worst ever outbreak during its winter, and global circulation means there is a risk of the same here.

Australia has already had more than 70,000 cases of flu in its winter and the figure may surpass the 100,000 recorded in 2015, its worst year ever. There have been 2.5 times more flu diagnoses this year than in 2016 and the outbreak started earlier than usual. According to the Australian Government’s health department, rates have been highest in adults over 80 years, with a secondary peak in young children aged five to nine years.

Now an established part of the nationwide provision of flu vaccinations, pharmacies in the UK have a vital role in protecting our own population – a role that could be even more important this year if our flu season is similar to that of Australia.

Troubling reports

Last year, 950,765 people got their NHS flu jab at a pharmacy. That is an impressive figure given that this is a relatively recent service development for pharmacies in England. In Wales, 26,889 vaccinations were provided in community pharmacies.

So it was really troubling to hear reports of some GPs discouraging their patients from accessing flu vaccinations in pharmacies. In at least one case, it has been suggested by a GP that the vaccination available in local pharmacies might be of inferior quality to that available in the surgery, and that vaccinations would be more safely delivered with “GPs and nurses on the premises”, rather than in a community pharmacy setting.

The NPA is currently surveying its members to establish the scale of the problem. It seems that overt communications to patients asking them not to use the pharmacy-based service are relatively rare. But recent comments by a BMA spokes-person that the pharmacy flu service “undermines good working relationships” set a most unfortunate tone.

Positive general practice-community pharmacy relationships are an important underpinning to seamless patient care and to the future of both professions within the NHS.

We are making representations to NHS England and the General Medical Council on the matter. GMC guidance states that “it is essential for good and safe patient care that doctors work effectively with colleagues from other health and social care disciplines, both within and between teams and organisations. Whatever the composition of the teams you work in, you must respect and value each person’s skills and contribution”.

Of course, the best riposte to negative comments about the capabilities of pharmacy providers is to do a fantastic job for our patients. Please make use of the best practice guidance on the NPA website, to help you deliver an excellent service. NPA members also have access to a range of materials for promoting flu vaccinations.

The NPA is surveying members to establish the scale of the problem

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