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More than 300 “under-vaccinated young adults” received the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine from a community pharmacy as part of a pilot in Greater Manchester designed to improve take-up rates for the vaccination.
The walk-in service, implemented by the NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board (ICB) from April 2024 to March 2025, invited anyone aged five years or over who had missed one or more doses of the MMR vaccine.
All children are now expected to have had two doses of the new MMRV (measles, mumps, rubella and chicken pox) by the time they are 18 months old.
There has been increased concern raised over rising cases of measles in England, with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) publishing a warning in January 2024.
On 1 August 2025, the UKHSA reported that more than one in ten eligible children aged under five years in England had not had the MMR vaccine or were only partially vaccinated.
A spokesperson for the ICB told The Pharmaceutical Journal: “Despite rapid mobilisation and operational constraints, particularly limited lead in time for planning and communications, the pilot delivered 303 vaccinations predominantly to under-vaccinated young adults, while generating valuable insights into service delivery, workforce readiness, communication gaps and data challenges.”
The Greater Manchester initiative formed part of a wider pilot that took place across the north-west of England, including Merseyside and Cheshire, aimed to help increase MMR vaccination rates by providing jabs at more than 40 participating pharmacies.
The spokesperson continued: “The Greater Manchester pilot shows that community pharmacy can effectively expand the reach of routine immunisation programmes, complement general practice capacity and increase opportunistic uptake, aligning with national policy commitments to broaden the role of community pharmacies in delivering vaccinations.”
However, they added that any sustainable expansion of the service would need “commissioning mechanisms that maintain pace and responsiveness”, and that “commissioning must be matched with long-term funding, streamlined contracting, and regulatory frameworks”.
“The evaluation highlights that future success requires strategic site selection based on local need, strengthened communications, improved data integration (including improved interoperability with summary care records), and sustained funding to embed vaccination services within community pharmacy as part of a broader, long-term approach to tackling declining MMR coverage and reducing health inequalities across Greater Manchester.”
Malcolm Harrison, chief executive of the Company Chemists’ Association, said: “Community pharmacies are ready to act now to boost MMRV uptake and stop measles spreading further.
“Pharmacies offer fast, convenient access to catch-up vaccinations close to home.”
“The North West England pilot showed this approach works. Children across the participating areas in the North West of England aged 5–11 years received their missed MMR doses in community pharmacies and feedback was positive across participating families. It was also reported that the initiative improved uptake across areas where MMR coverage had fallen behind.
“With more pharmacies in more deprived communities, and highly trained teams skilled in administering vaccines and addressing concerns, pharmacies are well placed to reach those most at risk, build vaccine confidence and tackle vaccine hesitancy.
“To support the national vaccination strategy, the government should make pharmacy-based MMRV vaccination a routine part of the NHS programme, giving the public greater choice while also helping prevent future outbreaks.”
In February 2026, a new government-led childhood vaccination campaign — ‘Stay strong, get vaccinated’ — was launched to offer parents “easy access to trusted information”.
The campaign includes accessible information about the MMRV vaccine, which replaced the MMR vaccine from January 2026.
