A report on vaccine uptake by leading think-tank Reform calls for the next Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework (CPCF) to define all adult vaccinations as “advanced services” that are delivered by community pharmacy. It urges NHS England to “adopt the same data integration standards applied for antibiotics, blood pressure checks and contraceptive prescriptions to all new vaccination service”.
The CCA was interviewed as part of the report which recommends several actions to promote vaccine uptake.
Specifically on community pharmacy, the report states that:
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- Convenience could be greatly improved by making better use of existing assets including community pharmacies.
- Pharmacies have a far wider national reach than other vaccine providers, are more likely to be situated in high deprivation areas and are often open in the evening and on weekends.
- “Early evidence suggests that where pharmacies have been involved in delivering ‘catch-up’ vaccines, such as MMR, this has had a positive effect on rates of uptake”.
- “Equally, remuneration for future vaccinations delivered by community pharmacy should better reflect NHS England’s own belief in the “extraordinary power” of immunisation – as well as the cost savings vaccines can generate in other parts of the health system”.
- “There is also inadequate real-time data sharing regarding individual’s vaccine status between general practice and community pharmacy, meaning the potential to carry out “opportunistic vaccinations” (i.e. to offer vaccinations to people who visit community pharmacies for other purposes) – a core pillar of NHSE’s vaccine strategy – is constrained”
Commenting on the report, Malcolm Harrison, Chief Executive of the Company Chemists’ Association said:
“We welcome this timely report from Reform which makes several sensible recommendations which taken together would deliver a step-change in vaccine uptake.
We are delighted that the report recognises the important and growing role of community pharmacies in administering vaccines and driving uptake.
Reform’s recommendation that the next contractual framework should define all adult vaccinations as ‘advanced services’ is a no-brainer. This would make it easier for pharmacies to deliver the vaccinations that patients and the public need. We urge the Government and NHS England to take this recommendation forward.
The CCA believes that community pharmacy could, in time, become the natural home for all adult vaccinations. Pharmacies offer convenience and accessibility, especially to those in more deprived areas, and have been integral in building vaccine confidence and reaching underserved communities”.