GPs can now prescribe flu antivirals year-round under new rules

GPs are now able to prescribe flu antivirals at any time of the year following changes to prescribing regulations, the Government has announced.

The change announced today allows oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza) to be prescribed and dispensed outside the flu season.

The Government said that this will allow patients to receive treatment sooner and ease winter pressures on the NHS by allowing outbreaks to be contained, and it is part of efforts to reduce bureaucracy as part of the Red Tape Challenge.

It coincides with the NHS launching this year’s improved flu vaccine programme, which is kicking off today with flu vaccines for millions of children and pregnant women.

The UK Health Security Agency said that the change will allow primary care providers to ‘respond more rapidly’ with effective treatment to reduce the risk of severe disease and the spread of infection at any time of year.

Until now GPs had to be commissioned via a patient-specific direction to prescribe certain medicines, but the Government said that the reasons for the restrictions ‘no longer apply’ and removing them means clinicians ‘can provide the right treatment at the right time’ to patients.

These antivirals are recommended for treatment of those at highest risk of severe disease outside of the flu season, following a confirmatory test for flu. They are also recommended to prevent disease in specific settings such as care homes where confirmed cases of flu have occurred.

Primary care minister Stephen Kinnock said: ‘Flu can strike all year round, so it doesn’t make sense to restrict doctors and pharmacists from taking action to protect the most vulnerable in their communities.

‘That’s why, as well as starting the flu vaccination programme today, we are also removing the need for clinicians to have to ask for permission to prescribe what their patients need.

‘It is exactly the type of change we wanted to see when we launched the Red Tape Challenge to bulldoze bureaucracy and prioritise patients over paperwork.’

UKHSA consultant epidemiologist for immunisation Dr Jamie Lopez Bernal said: ‘While the majority of influenza cases and outbreaks occur during the flu season, we do continue to see outbreaks outside the peak period.

‘These changes will allow primary care providers and health protection teams to respond more rapidly with effective treatment to reduce the risk of severe disease and the spread of infection at any time of year.’

Community pharmacies will be also able to offer flu vaccination for young children under a one-season trial this winter.

The move is to try and boost uptake in this age group who would ‘ordinarily’ be offered vaccination by their GP.

Last week, the Government confirmed that GP practices will offer a combined vaccine for measles, mumps, rubella and varicella (MMRV) as part of the routine childhood vaccination schedule from January next year.