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NHS England is looking to commission up to 50 community pharmacies to provide respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccines from September 2024.
In a contract notice, NHS England announced that the ‘RSV community pharmacy pathfinder service‘ will commission 25 contractors in NHS Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board (ICB) and 25 contractors in NHS North East Essex ICB to provide the service as part of a wider RSV vaccination programme.
On 24 June 2024, NHS England said in a letter that general practices and NHS trusts would be commissioned to provide the Abrysvo RSV vaccine to all adults turning 75 years on or after 1 September 2024, as well as to all women who are at least 28 weeks pregnant.
The letter added that NHS England would be also be commissioning some community pharmacies to help deliver the programme.
An invitation to tender published by NHS England on 22 July 2024 said commissioning the service from community pharmacies is intended to provide “additional capacity and increased access to supplement the core provision” of the programme in general practice and NHS trusts in areas where additional need has been identified.
The tender document adds that the 50 pharmacies will be part of an “early adoption phase” and following this, NHS England “is intending to roll out the services to a wider group of community pharmacy providers” during a “roll-out phase”.
“Services provided in the early adoption phase will run from a September 2024 commencement date,” the document says, adding that pharmacies will receive a £9.58 item of service fee for each vaccine administered to an eligible patient.
“Services provided in the roll-out phase will run from a later commencement date, which is to be confirmed.”
Both phases will run until 31 March 2027 and may be extended until 31 March 2029.
RSV is a common respiratory virus that is not usually serious, but can cause more serious illness in babies and older adults.
The first RSV vaccine for older adults was approved in the UK by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency in July 2023.
Will Pett, head of policy and research at Healthwatch England, said: “We know people support vaccination programmes at pharmacies. Our research shows that pharmacies are the first choice place to go for a flu vaccination for 51% of people, compared to 34% who choose a GP practice.
“However, good vaccination programmes must include targeted communication campaigns to more vulnerable groups, such as pregnant women, to help allay any fears they may have.
“If evaluated as safe and effective, access to the RSV virus vaccination service should be extended to other parts of the country.
“Looking ahead, patients would welcome further expansion of Pharmacy First; for example, to include a broader range of vaccinations and dermatology services.”
Alastair Buxton, director of NHS Services at Community Pharmacy England, said the RSV vaccination pathfinder is “a welcome first step to engage community pharmacy in the rollout of a new NHS vaccination programme and is aligned with the vision for the future of community pharmacy and NHS England’s vaccination strategy”.
Leyla Hannbeck, chief executive of the Independent Pharmacies Association, said: “The COVID-19 and seasonal flu vaccination services provided by community pharmacy in the past have proved again and again that not only is the local pharmacy the preferred choice for many patients but that community pharmacy can reach the patients that can be missed by GPs.
“It does not make sense to prevaricate, why not just include pharmacy in any vaccination service: how much proof is needed that community pharmacies can effectively deliver vaccines?”
The deadline for applications to provide the service is 12.00 on 7 August 2024.
