The NHS in England must commission community pharmacies to administer more vaccines to reverse worrying trends in uptake and free up GP capacity and hospital beds, according to a new report from the Company Chemists’ Association.

The report highlights that:

• Pharmacies have administered over 42 million Covid vaccinations between December 2020 and August 2024, more than a quarter of the 165 million Covid vaccines delivered so far 

• In Spring 2024, more than half of all Covid vaccinations given to Black/Black British, Asian/Asian British, and mixed and Chinese or other ethnicity groups were administered in pharmacies 

• In 2023/24 no childhood vaccines met the World Health Organization target coverage rate of 95 per cent. 

The CCA’s report highlights how in Spring 2024, a significant proportion of Covid vaccines were administered to ethnicity groups previously reported to have higher levels of vaccine hesitancy. 

The CCA is urging NHS England to commission pharmacies to deliver a wide range of NHS vaccinations including pneumonia, shingles, meningitis, RSV and other routine childhood vaccinations. Taken together, this would free up 10 million GP vaccination appointments each year, allowing GPs to focus on delivering care to patients with more complex care needs, the trade association claims. 

Chief executive, Malcolm Harrison, added: “Vaccines are one of the most effective tools in our armoury to prevent ill-health.