Yes. In October 2020,
legislation was amended to permit appropriately trained pharmacists to supply and administer the influenza vaccine at any suitable and appropriate place (i.e., within or offsite from the retail pharmacy business premises) having regard to public convenience and the need to protect the health and safety of the public. This includes the influenza vaccine suspension for injection presented as a pre-filled syringe, and the influenza vaccine nasal spray, suspension.
Any influenza vaccination service provided offsite under this legislation must be carried out in connection with a named registered retail pharmacy business, in which the vaccinating pharmacist is employed or engaged. The PSI has published guidance to support this practice extension.
Legislation permits an appropriately trained pharmacist to supply and administer the influenza vaccine suspension for injection presented as a pre-filled syringe and the influenza vaccine nasal spray, suspension, at any suitable and appropriate place (i.e., within or offsite from the retail pharmacy business premises) having regard to public convenience and the need to protect the health and safety of the public.
Your choice of location should include a risk assessment to assure patient safety and the same high standard of care as would be provided on the pharmacy premises. Whether delivery of an influenza vaccination to a patient in an off-site location is , suitable and appropriate will, depend on a number of considerations.
We have published guidance to help you in considering what types of location are appropriate, and to support pharmacies in providing safe influenza vaccination services offsite from the pharmacy premises. There are a number of checklists included in the guidance and key points for consideration. Current PSI guidance which supports the provision of a pharmacy vaccination service in the pharmacy will still apply and must be read and adapted to the chosen setting.
Patients should have advance notice of the location and nature of the off-site vaccination site. As is the case with all vaccination services, both the patient and pharmacist should be satisfied that the given setting is appropriate for the individual patient.