GPs demand review of pharmacy flu vaccination scheme

Trade union for UK doctors expresses concerns about influenza vaccinations being delivered by community pharmacists. GPs want the influenza immunisation programme offered by community pharmacists in England scrapped unless a national review proves that it has increased the total number of people being vaccinated. The British Medical Association (BMA), a trade union and professional body for doctors in the UK, is calling for an evaluation of the scheme for at-risk patient groups, which will be delivered as an advanced service for the winter flu season in 2016–2017. NHS England announced it was recommissioning the service on 9 May 2016. The move by the BMA is the clearest indication yet of GPs’ unease with community pharmacists taking over some of their vaccination work.