Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of increasing the range of NHS-funded vaccinations available in community pharmacies.

The Government recognises that, alongside a core offer of vaccination in general practices, a wider delivery of vaccination services, including through sexual health services, maternity services, schools-based vaccination teams, health visitors, and community pharmacies, is helpful in driving increased uptake of vaccination, especially in areas of increased deprivation.

Currently, NHS England commissions the Community Pharmacy Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Advanced Service and the COVID-19 Vaccination National Enhanced Service on a national level. Both services are delivered extensively in community pharmacies.

The Government is looking to expand the number of vaccines offered in community pharmacies across the country through local, targeted vaccination programmes. This has already started, with NHS England commissioning community pharmacies in the East of England to help deliver year-round respiratory syncytial virus vaccination programmes for pregnant women, to protect newborns, and adults aged 75 to 79 years old. Eligible patients can book an appointment via the National Booking System or walk into a participating pharmacy to receive the vaccine.

The Department will keep the scope of vaccinations available in community pharmacies under review and consider whether any expansion to the current offer provides both increased health protection benefits and value for money to the taxpayer.