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The community pharmacy pilot flu vaccination service for children aged 2-3 years has been extended and the fee increased to £10.06 for each vaccine administered. 

In addition, the service has been expanded to include opportunistic vaccination of two additional groups:

• Clinically at-risk children aged 2 years to less than 18 years
• Catch up vaccinations of school aged children (Reception to year 11).

The expansion of the service to include clinically at-risk children will supplement administration of vaccines by general practice, and the vaccination of primary school and secondary school aged children supplements vaccination provision by the School Aged Immunisation Service. 

Most eligible children will be vaccinated with live attenuated influenza vaccine nasal spray suspension (LAIV) which will be supplied to pharmacies from centrally procured stock.

Director of NHS Services at Community Pharmacy England (CPE), Alastair Buxton, said: “We are pleased to be able to agree this expansion of the Advanced service. While it remains a trial, we are confident that it will further demonstrate how community pharmacy teams will be able to support vaccination rates through the provision of a convenient and accessible service offer to parents and their eligible children.

“The expanded cohorts come after lobbying by Community Pharmacy England and other pharmacy bodies to expand the scope of vaccination services that the sector can offer.

“It represents yet another strategically important step forwards for community pharmacies to support the delivery of NHS vaccination programmes in line with our calls for the sector to become a hub for the provision of all NHS vaccinations.”

The service starts on 1 October this year.