Dear Member,
Note key dates: 1st Sept General Flu (pregnant women), 1st Oct (all adults), 31st Mar 2026 (DSP vaccination exception ends).
From Wednesday 1st October 2025, several national services go live and elements of the 2025/26 CPCF take effect. Regulatory changes also start on this date.
What starts on 1st October
1. Vaccinations
Childhood Flu Vaccination Service and COVID-19 Vaccination Service begin for registered pharmacies.
Adult Flu
2025/26: vaccination opens to all eligible groups (pregnant women have been eligible since 1st September).
NHSE Seasonal Vaccinations Site Campaign Guide updated: NBS/MYA slides 20–21, onboarding summary for childhood flu slide 31, and link to COVID-19
PGD/protocol slide 5 (changes highlighted in yellow).
2. Pharmacy First (updated)
Use the updated clinical pathways, protocol and PGDs from 1st October.
Clinical IT suppliers are releasing updates to support the changes.
NHSE has published the final updated documents and a master PGD authorisation sheet (optional alternative to signing each PGD).
Current service
documents remain valid until 11:59pm, Tuesday 30th September 2025 (NHSBSA).
3. DSP (Distance Selling Pharmacy) premises — Directed services
From 1st October, DSP pharmacies cannot provide Directed services (Advanced,
National Enhanced, Enhanced) face-to-face at DSP premises.
DSPs may provide these remotely from the DSP site, or face-to-face off-site where the service spec allows.
Exception: DSPs may
continue COVID-19 and Flu vaccinations at DSP premises until 31st March 2026.
For detail, please refer to the service pages and the regulatory update summary.
