The Health and Social Care Committee is undertaking an inquiry into prevention and has issued the first in a series of reports – focusing on vaccination.
It recommends:
- A more flexible delivery model making use of a wider range of healthcare professionals.
- The NHSE vaccination and immunisation strategy must have a strong focus on tackling practical challenges that limit vaccination access, make best use of a wider array of professionals, empower local leaders to pursue ways of addressing uptake in their own areas, and to set out guidance and examples of best practice around how voices other than NHSE can communicate important messaging around vaccination programmes.
Malcolm Harrison, Chief Executive of the CCA said:
“We welcome the Committee’s report on vaccination. Community pharmacy can be the home for all vaccinations. We have an amazing track record – over the 2022/23 winter vaccination programme, pharmacies administered a record-breaking 5m+ flu vaccinations.
The CCA’s prospectus1 estimates that the sector can free up a further 10m+ GP vaccination appointments annually, which would free up GP capacity.
Community pharmacy offers an accessible and convenient place for patients to receive vaccinations. In the longer term, we want to see community pharmacy involved in all vaccination programmes and helping to drive uptake, especially for those in deprived communities.”
References
1 – CCA Prospectus ‘The future of community pharmacy in England, February 2023, available here.
2 – Community Pharmacy England, ‘The value of pharmacy’, February 2022, available here.