The National Health Service (General Medical Services Contracts) Regulations 2015

Vaccines and immunisations

4.—(1) This paragraph applies to a contractor whose contract includes the provision of vaccines and immunisations but does not apply to the provision of—

(a) childhood immunisations; and

(b) the combined Haemophilus influenza type B and Meningitis C booster vaccine.

(2) The contractor must—

(a) offer to provide to patients all vaccines and immunisations (other than those mentioned in sub-paragraph (1)) of the type, and in the circumstances, specified in the GMS Statement of Financial Entitlements;

(b) taking into account the individual circumstances of the patient, consider whether immunisation ought to be administered by the contractor or by another health care professional or whether a prescription form ought to be provided for the purpose of self-administration by the patient of the immunisation;

(c) provide appropriate information and advice to patients about such vaccines and immunisations;

(d) record, in the patient’s record, any refusal of the offer referred to in paragraph (a);

(e) where the offer is accepted and immunisation is to be administered by the contractor or by another health care professional, include in the patient’s record—

(i) the patient’s consent to immunisation or the name of the person who gave consent to immunisation and that person’s relationship to the patient,

(ii) the batch numbers, expiry date and title of the vaccine,

(iii) the date of administration,

(iv) in the case where two vaccines are administered by injections, in close succession, the route of the administration and the injection site of each vaccine,

(v) any contraindications to the vaccine, and

(vi) any adverse reactions to the vaccine; and

(f) where the offer is accepted and the immunisation is not to be administered by the contractor or another health care professional, issue a prescription form for the purpose of self-administration by the patient.

(3) The contractor must ensure that all staff involved in the administration of vaccinations and immunisations are trained in the recognition and initial treatment of anaphylaxis.

(4) In this paragraph, “patient’s record” means the record which is kept in accordance with regulation 67.