New pharmacy record: over 3 million flu vaccinations administered in eight weeks

Community pharmacy teams have proved yet again that they can deliver vital public health services at scale and pace, having administered over 3 million flu vaccinations under the national Flu Vaccination Service in just eight weeks, a new record for the sector.

In 2020/21 the total number of vaccinations administered in community pharmacies under the national Flu Vaccination Service from 1st September 2020 to 31st March 2021 was 2.76 million. Data from PharmOutcomes and Sonar Informatics has confirmed that this year pharmacy teams have already administered over 3 million vaccinations since 1st September when the 2021/22 service commenced (although the total number of vaccinations administered will be even higher as some pharmacy teams have not used the electronic systems to record administration of vaccines).

If the trend continues, pharmacies could be on track to top 4 million flu vaccinations this season.

The statistics can be viewed at: cpe.org.uk/flustats

Commenting on the record figures, PSNC Director of NHS Services Alastair Buxton said:

“We’ve been watching the flu vaccination numbers tick up over the past eight weeks and to hit the three million mark this early in the season is an amazing achievement. Doing this in any year would be impressive, but  to do so while we are still in a pandemic, alongside all of the other pressures community pharmacy is currently facing, is a truly remarkable result.

Thanks go to all community pharmacy contractors and their teams, and LPCs, for working so hard to yet again make the service an outstanding success. As ever, community pharmacy is showing how well it can rise to a challenge – yet another record performance delivering a critical public health service.”

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