A leaked letter from the BMA says that GPs may step away from providing flu jabs next year. They have warned the Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty, that poor funding may mean GPs not signing up to the 2026/27 flu programme and not ordering vaccine stock.
Malcolm Harrison, Chief Executive of the CCA said:
“Pharmacies are ready to administer more flu jabs if needed, however the flu vaccination programme urgently needs additional funding. The fee paid by the NHS for administering the flu jab has not kept pace with inflationary costs over the past decade.
Pharmacies have been part of the national programme since 2015 which seen continual growth in demand. By the end of October 2025, they had administered 3.3m flu vaccines – a 10% growth compared to the previous year.
Many patients value the accessibility and convenience of receiving their vaccines from a local pharmacy. With more pharmacies in more deprived areas, pharmacies are also well placed to drive uptake amongst underserved communities and build greater vaccine confidence.
In time, we believe pharmacy has the potential to administer all NHS vaccines, giving the public greater choice to receive vaccines when and where they want them”.