VACCINATION OPPORTUNITY IN LOCAL COMMUNITIES
Rukiye Beganovic-Bayansar is the pharmacist at Kingussie Pharmacy in the Highlands commented: “We are now the first point of call for all patients with so many services. We work really well with the local surgeries and they signpost patients to us. We cover a big area and our patients are so grateful they can all be seen so quickly,” she said.
“We serve such a small community. The patients know us and are familiar with us and that is really important in rural pharmacy. We are there for them all the time and I know most of my patients by first name.”
Like Lisa, she believes pharmacies being included in the national Scottish vaccination plan would increase the number of patients accessing vaccinations at their local pharmacy.
The latest report on vaccination from Public Health Scotland details a welcome increase in the uptake of flu vaccines in 75 years and older adults, older care residents and the key group healthcare workers.
The introduction of the new Meningococcal B vaccine for adults and at risk groups, the extension to the RSV immunisation eligibility and the updates to the childhood vaccination schedules are also positive developments, covering a wide range of the population.
However, persistent disparities in vaccine uptake related to deprivation, ethnicity, sex and geography remain a cause for concern. The notably low participation rates in the most deprived areas highlight the necessity for improved access to, and engagement with, vaccination programmes.
There are key developments which will contribute to addressing these issues:
• Scotland’s 5-year Vaccination and Immunisation Framework and Delivery Plan aim to enhance the benefits of vaccination by increasing accessibility and providing more efficient delivery models tailored to local needs.
• The introduction of the Vaccine Group Directive (VGD), offers a legal framework established in April 2026, replacing the COVID-19 National Protocol. This permits registered healthcare professionals to authorise the administration of specific vaccines without a prescription. Unlike Patient Group Directions (PGDs), VGDs enable delegation of tasks such as preparation and administration to appropriately trained staff.
Community pharmacies are not currently involved in NHS Vaccination and Immunisation at a national level.
Lisa Simpson is the owner of Islay Pharmacy, the only pharmacy on the Isle of Islay in the Scottish Inner Hebrides which serves around 4000 patients. Her pharmacy offers private flu vaccinations for patients and she says uptake is growing.
Lisa, who moved to the Isle of Islay from England where flu and COVID 19 vaccine delivery in pharmacy is commissioned nationally as an Advanced Service, commented that having an NHS vaccination service available in community pharmacy would provide another option for patients.
“Pharmacies are more accessible, you can just walk in and we can fit in appointments at times that the surgeries can’t necessarily offer. For example we can do Saturday mornings or after work. Because of our accessibility, pharmacies can help increase the uptake of vaccinations,” she said.
Lisa went on to say that pharmacies should not be seen as competition for GPs as it was simply about providing an additional option for patients.
... pharmacies being included in the national Scottish vaccination plan would increase the number of patients accessing vaccinations...
ISLAY PHARMACY IN THE SCOTTISH INNER HEBRIDES
In light of all of the above, there are clearly benefits for the inclusion of community pharmacy in the delivery of NHS flu vaccinations and childhood immunisation. Community pharmacies, widely distributed throughout urban and rural Scotland, are ideally positioned with skilled teams to support the objectives of Scotland’s 5-year Vaccination and Immunisation Framework and Delivery Plan. Through active participation in collaborative, multidisciplinary efforts, community pharmacy teams can help improve vaccination uptake rates and provide equitable, improved care for people living in Scotland.
KINGUSSIE PHARMACY IN THE HIGHLANDS
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