Pharmacists will have a vital role to play once a COVID-19 vaccine becomes available

Matt Hancock, the health and social care secretary, has recently announced that pharmacists will have a vital role to play in administering vaccinations against the Coronavirus when one becomes available. Furthermore, Hancock outlined that the government would be utilising all of its resources to distribute the vaccine and would be escalating who could legally provide vaccinations to the public.

Currently, patient group directions must be used in pharmacy and; therefore, pharmacy technicians can’t legally vaccinate.

Hancock stated: “I’m expanding who can legally vaccinate to make sure that [it is] not just GPs, but also technicians and nurses and pharmacists… Pharmacists have got a massive role to play in this.”

President of the Association for Pharmacy Technicians UK, Liz Fidler, stated: “The profession is ready to support and enhance patient care. Including pharmacy technicians on the PGD list will enable a range of services to be delivered in response to COVID-19 and beyond. It will be a missed opportunity for pharmacy services and patient care if pharmacy technicians are not included.”

President of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, Sandra Gidley, stated: “While we welcome these comments, community pharmacies already provide NHS flu vaccinations in England and Wales and we have consistently stressed their potential to provide further patient access to other vaccines. Any future decision of implementing a COVID-19 vaccination must be made using the clinical expertise, knowledge and accessibility of community pharmacists. Our profession can help to reduce the demand for vaccine services elsewhere in the NHS, especially during the pandemic.”