Getting the flu vaccine each year remains the best way to help protect health and care staff, their families, and the vulnerable people they support.
The nasal spray flu vaccine offered to eligible children, contains porcine gelatine. Practices should ensure that an appropriate alternative flu vaccine is available for children where Fluenz is not suitable or is declined.
Pneumococcal vaccination programmes for infants, adults and individuals at increased clinical risk have new resources available, including the Supporting People Experiencing Homelessness Toolkit.
Practices are encouraged to review the new MMRV catch-up resources , which are available to support the identification and vaccination of eligible patients who may have missed routine immunisations.
Guidance for healthcare practitioners has been updated to confirm that Hipra BIMERVAX is supplied as a single-dose vial. Practices delivering COVID-19 vaccinations should ensure they are working from the latest guidance .
Please find the flu campaign toolkit here , which brings together a range of resources to support the 2026/27 flu vaccination campaign across Birmingham, Black Country and Solihull.
A Mobile Screening Unit continues across Birmingham and Solihull, and a new Mobile Health Hub tours the Black Country from 15 October, giving eligible people another way to attend cervical screening.
A cluster toolkit of social media posts, graphics, videos and links to national resources to promote flu vaccination to eligible groups.
UKHSA surveillance shows flu activity higher than at this point in each of the last four seasons, with signs of an early season, and COVID-19 is also rising. Keep promoting vaccination.
People experiencing homelessness aged 16 and over are now an at-risk group. Practices on the flu enhanced service can vaccinate them whether registered or not; pneumococcal only if registered with the practice.
Automated MMRV catch-up payments in November and December only cover children aged 5 and under. If you vaccinate 6-year-olds, add them to your CQRS total manually.
Three cluster consent forms for care home residents: for residents who can consent, for relatives where a resident can't, and for attorneys.
UKHSA's alert on sporadic toxigenic diphtheria cases among asylum seekers sets out how to manage cases and contacts, for front-line clinicians and those working with new arrivals.
Vaccination records must be created in an assured system. Using an unassured one (e.g. EMIS PCN Hub) means no payment and no automatic update of patients' records. GP systems now enforce mandatory COVID-19 fields, with flu to follow.
From 1 October people experiencing homelessness are eligible for flu and pneumococcal vaccines. A new provider toolkit and promotional resources are available.
An easy read leaflet on the pneumococcal vaccine is available for patients.
From 1 November 2026 to 31 March 2028, children born 1 January 2020 – 31 August 2022 who haven't had chickenpox or two doses of varicella vaccine can have one MMRV dose. New resources support delivery.
UKHSA's guidance on vaccinating people with uncertain or incomplete histories has been updated, including revised RSV eligibility. Share with all relevant staff.
The complete routine immunisation schedule has been updated for use from September 2026, including the expanded RSV eligibility.
New operational guidance and resources on how transgender and non-binary patients can opt in to cervical screening.
UKHSA and Groundswell leaflets, pocket guides and posters to download or order.
Launching new materials and a multi-agency toolkit to improve vaccination uptake among people experiencing homelessness.
Three automated and six manual payment indicators. Review both each month before declaring. Use manual indicators only for third doses, doses within 90 days, or INT.
Presentation, dosing and storage information for current COVID-19 vaccines.
UKHSA and NHS England webinar on winter vaccine communications, including misinformation.
A poster with five reasons for pregnant women to have the flu vaccine.
PGD and VGD templates for the COVID-19 programme.
The COVID-19 chapter is updated with current vaccines, JCVI advice, storage and dosing.
An updated patient leaflet and stickers for the autumn 2026 programme.
Updated guides and a new poster for social care staff and providers.
Practices should deliver a one-dose MMRV selective catch-up to eligible children, as clinic capacity allows.
How Birmingham and Solihull and Enfield responded to measles outbreaks, and lessons for improving uptake.
BCHC can vaccinate housebound patients for all BSol practices that sign up for autumn/winter 2026.
UKHSA urged parents to return consent forms as school flu vaccination began. Uptake was 55.5% last winter.
UKHSA's flu special edition of Vaccine Update.
Practitioner guidance now includes people experiencing homelessness as a risk group from 1 October 2026.
The GP seasonal vaccination specification now allows practices collaborating under the PCN DES to use the Record a Vaccination Service.
Flu vaccination is open for children and pregnant women, RSV eligibility has expanded, and UKHSA has updated guidance on prioritising vaccines by age.
Contract guidance is updated for expanded RSV eligibility, pneumococcal for people experiencing homelessness, and MMRV.
UKHSA's updated guide to which flu vaccines are recommended for each eligible group.
Vaxigrip (egg-cultured) should only be used when recommended first-line vaccines aren't available, given Sanofi's recombinant vaccine supply problems.
The redesigned cold chain poster and magnet are available to download.
GP guidance on recording seasonal vaccinations has been updated for the new homelessness cohort from 1 October 2026.
NHS England is running weekly drop-in sessions instead of formal training webinars. Dates are on the V&S FutureNHS calendar.
From autumn/winter 2026/27, GP teams delivering seasonal vaccinations together under the PCN DES can use RAVS, if certain conditions are met.
Practices using the NBS should publish appointments in Manage Your Appointments for all relevant cohorts.
Invitation-only HPV self-test kits for people aged 30–65 who haven't attended screening, rolled out in phases.
Sign-up is open for the childhood flu programme. GP providers opt in through CQRS.
Practices using the National Booking Service should publish adult and children's flu appointments in Manage Your Appointments from 1 September.
UKHSA's full routine schedule from 1 July 2026, including the updated RSV cohort.
Pictures of vaccine products and packaging to go with the routine schedule, updated for the removal of Menitorix from the infant schedule.
UKHSA surveyed how staff gain the knowledge required by the national immunisation training standards.
The provider-led supply model continues. Support sessions cover FDP ordering and allocation for the autumn programme.
UKHSA's practitioner guidance for the 2026/27 national flu programme.
UKHSA resources on health equity for immunisation practitioners.
Practitioner guidance updated for the extension of RSV vaccination to at-risk adults aged 65–74 from September.
UKHSA data shows severe RSV infections in young babies halved in the first full winter of the maternal programme.
An easy read guide to the MMRV vaccine on GOV.UK.
The student and young person MenB programme is commissioned from community pharmacy, so practices that give it can't claim payment.
From 1 October 2026, people aged 16+ experiencing homelessness are in the national flu programme. GP specifications are updated.
A PGD template for PCV13/PCV15 for infants aged 16 weeks to under 2 years.
Updated for MHRA approval of Capvaxive (PCV21) and JCVI advice on people experiencing homelessness.
A "Find a MenB pharmacy" tool helps practices signpost eligible young people to participating pharmacies.
UKHSA's latest update covering JCVI's adolescent MenB recommendation, webinar recordings, flu 2026/27 and vaccine supply.
Easy read information on the MMRV vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox.
Templates and training slides supporting the RSV programmes for pregnant women and older adults.
Vaccination Digital Services wanted a few practices to host visits to gather feedback on a private beta booking service.
Practices not yet signed up to the autumn/winter COVID-19 and flu services needed to accept both offers on CQRS by 31 July.
Under 40% of at-risk and immunosuppressed people across the cluster had flu vaccine in 2025. A GOV.UK letter template and toolkit help practices invite them.
A GOV.UK poster showing which flu vaccine each child and young person should get, and who is eligible.
UKHSA slides on which routine vaccines can and can't be given together in older adults, and the principles behind co-administration.
NHS England has set ICBs significant uptake growth targets across most cohorts. Practices should review how they identify, invite and follow up eligible patients.
UKHSA's training slides on the national flu programme, eligibility and vaccines, for staff delivering it.
From 1 October 2026, rough sleepers and people in hostels and night shelters are eligible for pneumococcal vaccination.
All new arrivals should have their vaccination status checked and be brought up to date with the UK schedule.
From 1 July 2026 the East and West Midlands teams merged. Send routine immunisation queries and incidents to england.imms@nhs.net.
NHS England invited unvaccinated over-80s eligible since 1 April to contact their practice for RSV vaccination, digital-first.
Signing up on CQRS (participation only) confirms the practice will deliver the 2026/27 children's flu specifications. It's a new process this year.
NHS England is inviting 6–11-year-olds to catch up on missed MMR/MMRV doses at their practice, alongside the GP-led catch-up for ages 1–6.
UKHSA advice on pregnant women inadvertently given varicella, shingles or MMR vaccines.
The 2026/27 flu letter sets out three-year and annual uptake ambitions for the programme.
From 1 September 2026, older adult RSV vaccination also covers adults aged 65–74 with chronic respiratory disease or immunosuppression.
The GP enhanced service covers children aged 2–3 and those aged 6 months to 17 years in clinical risk groups from 1 September 2026.
Slides and the recording from the latest immunisation QI forum.
UKHSA's regularly updated summary of vaccine and immunisation policy changes for practitioners.
Despite social media suggestions during hot weather, ThinPrep vials must not be stored in the fridge.
The 2026/27 national catch-up campaign, which practices must take part in under the GP contract, focuses on MMR/V following measles outbreaks.
Early data shows good uptake of MMRV and earlier MenB protection for babies, but a persistent gap in measles coverage across England.
Practices must offer polio (as dT/IPV), typhoid, hepatitis A and cholera free as part of the core contract. The CQC reiterates this.
The autumn/winter COVID-19 programme runs alongside flu from 1 October 2026 to 31 January 2027, with the same eligible cohorts as last year, including adults 75+ and care home residents.
Practices needed to sign up on CQRS by 31 July 2026 and give planning assumptions for vaccine numbers.
Documents on the time-limited MenB offer for the year 13 group and eligible students under 25, including a guide for young people.
The spring programme ended on 30 June 2026. The year-round programme uses Comirnaty LP.8.1, with vaccine requested via ICBs. End-of-campaign actions are on FutureNHS.
A two-dose MenB offer for young people before the autumn, expected to be delivered mainly through community pharmacy.
From 1 October 2026 community pharmacies can vaccinate 2–3-year-olds and at-risk children, and from 1 December school-age children who missed school vaccination. People experiencing homelessness are added to the programme.
The RSV chapter now reflects MHRA approval of clesrovimab and JCVI advice on adult risk groups.
Guidance for staff delivering RSV vaccination to pregnant women and older adults, now including clesrovimab.
UKHSA's summary for practitioners, with a new supporting guidance document.
New RSV programme publications, plus an updated maternal vaccination slide set.
Practices should revisit NHS England's standards and core contractual requirements for vaccination and immunisation services and make sure they still meet them.
NHS England asked providers for feedback on the new provider-led vaccine supply model, covering ordering, allocation and stocktake.
The national flu immunisation programme letter for 2026/27 has been amended. Check GOV.UK for the changes.
Following ministers' acceptance of the National Screening Committee's recommendation on prostate screening, a Q&A document has been produced for GP practices.
Practices may vaccinate eligible staff registered elsewhere with MMR under INT until 30 September 2026. No item of service fee applies, but CNSGP indemnity covers it.
National NHS/UKHSA webinar on measles epidemiology, inequalities in uptake and evidence-based approaches to outbreaks.
A short survey for GP and pharmacy vaccination teams on patients' access needs, such as wheelchair access, and how providers support them.
The ICB thanked practices for the spring COVID-19 campaign (47,355 vaccinated so far) and asked for a final push to reach eligible patients.
An online quality improvement forum for general practice on the vaccination programme, 12:30pm on Teams.
A national report on flu vaccine uptake among frontline healthcare workers in the 2025/26 programme.
A one-hour Project ECHO session on the NHS lung cancer screening programme, aimed at increasing uptake among underserved groups.