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Flu Immunisation Update

This three-hour live update provides UK healthcare practitioners with the essential knowledge and confidence to deliver the 2025/26 seasonal influenza ... Show more

Instructor

Belmatt Healthcare Training

Who Can Administer Flu Vaccinations

Registered healthcare professionals (e.g. nurses, GPs, pharmacists, midwives, paramedics) who are trained and competent in immunisation can give flu vaccines.
Healthcare support workers / healthcare assistants (HCAs) may administer flu vaccinations if:
- They have completed appropriate training (usually aligned with the UKHSA “National Minimum Standards and Core Curriculum for Immunisation”).
- They work under a Patient Specific Direction (PSD) signed by a prescriber (doctor, nurse prescriber, or pharmacist prescriber).
- They are assessed as competent in injection technique, consent, recognition and management of anaphylaxis, and vaccine storage/handling.

Legal Framework

Patient Group Directions (PGDs): Allow named, registered practitioners (like nurses or pharmacists) to supply and administer flu vaccines without a prescription.
Patient Specific Directions (PSDs): Allow delegation to HCAs or other trained staff for individual patients, but cannot be used to authorise mass vaccination without a prescriber’s assessment.

Training & Competency Requirements

Understanding of flu epidemiology and the UK vaccination programme.
Knowledge of contraindications, side effects, and anaphylaxis management.
Skills in injection technique and safe disposal.
Competency sign-off by a supervising clinician.

Before administering flu vaccines you should have:

received practical training in vaccine administration
an appropriate legal framework to supply and administer the vaccine for example; patient specific prescription, Patient Specific Direction (PSD) Patient Group Direction (PGD)
recently undertaken training in basic life support and management of anaphylaxis

Appropriate qualified independent prescribers are already legally able to supply and administer flu vaccines as a prescriber.

You may also find it useful to undertake some or all of the sessions in the elfh Immunisation elearning programme, particularly those on vaccine storage, vaccine administration and legal aspects (depending on your role).

Pre Requisites