PCNs should prioritise vaccination of care home residents

PCNs should prioritise older care home residents and those who are housebound in the 2024/25 flu and Covid vaccination campaign, NHS England has said.

In an update letter sent to PCNs, GP practices and other vaccination providers, national director for vaccinations and screening at NHS England, Steve Russell, outlined the groups of patients eligible for vaccination this autumn/winter (see box). But said those who are in older adult care homes or are housebound should be prioritised by PCNs.

In March, NHS England moved the flu vaccination programme from September to October due to Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) advice that the effectiveness of the vaccine can wane over time in adults.

However, children should still be offered the flu vaccine from 1 September, the letter added, as flu ‘circulates in this age group earlier and protection lasts longer’. Pregnant women will also be offered the vaccination from this earlier date.

The letter said it was ‘vital’ providers do outreach to meet the needs of disadvantaged communities, particularly those who are deprived.

It said: ‘For example, providers may want to consider how to design services for people who struggle to make appointments during working hours.

‘We would expect that any provider would make reasonable efforts to reach the whole eligible population.

‘Where possible, these outreach services should be aligned across all vaccinations – and with wider prevention efforts – to ensure that we are taking all opportunities to improve the health of unvaccinated and under-vaccinated communities.’

NHS England anticipates that most flu and Covid vaccines will be completed by 20 December 2024 but said activities for Covid vaccination should ‘continue to be delivered to underserved communities until 31 January 2025’.

The national booking service will be opened for participating sites to post Covid and flu appointments from 16 September, and will be opened to the public from 23 September. The last appointment dates will be 20 December for both flu and Covid, but flu vaccinations will remain available until 31 March 2025.

Patient-facing staff will be encouraged to take up a free Covid booster through the programme.