Pharmacists have warned of a looming public health emergency as vaccine uptake in the UK continues to fall.
The number of people getting jabs for illnesses that could be life-threatening or life-altering – including shingles and meningitis – continues to fall and there is a sharp variation in uptake between the most and least deprived areas of the UK, data shows.
The Company Chemists’ Association (CCA), whose members include Boots, Superdrug and Tesco, wants the Government to launch a Covid-style rollout of vaccines for the most serious conditions as a result.
The trade body, which represents pharmacists in England, Scotland, and Wales, described it as a “worrying trend” of decreasing vaccine coverage.
Jab uptake dropped for 14 childhood vaccines, including MMR, Meningitis B and Hepatitis B in 2023/24, according to the Pharmacy Vaccinations Development Group, a coalition of organisations representing the vaccines supply chain.
None of these 14 met the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommended vaccination rate of 95 per cent required to achieve herd immunity.
Influenza vaccine uptake for those under 65 in clinical risk groups is also well under the WHO target, and human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine uptake remains lower than pre-pandemic levels, the data shows.
A previous study commissioned by GSK shows that uptake of the shingles vaccine is 27 per cent lower in the most deprived areas, compared to the least deprived.
The vaccine is available free of charge for eligible adults via their GP but the CCA said many people are paying for the jab privately because of the inconvenience of accessing it via their doctor’s surgery.
“The trend line eventually will drop lower and lower and then it could become a public health emergency,” warned Rob Severn, a pharmacist working in Warsop, Nottinghamshire.
He suggested lessons learned from the Covid booster and flu jab programme, which has seen pharmacies deliver over a quarter of all Covid-19 jabs, could be adopted in widening the rollout of routine vaccinations.
“We found over Covid particularly that the national booking system for jabs has given people visibility when there are vaccine slots available and it’s convenient for them to book in at those times.”
London boroughs top the list for lowest flu vaccine uptake in England in the 65 and over cohort.
UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) provisional data from the current 2024/25 flu season shows Hammersmith and Fulham at 51.7 per cent, Westminster at 51.4 per cent and City of London and Hackney at 51.2 per cent.
The WHO vaccine uptake target for influenza in 65+ cohort is 75 per cent.
Uptake for the under 65 at-risk cohort is lowest in Hammersmith and Fulham, at 25 per cent, Kensington and Chelsea at 27.7 per cent and Enfield at 27.8 per cent.
Pharmacies have administered over 3.1 million flu vaccines in the current season, the CCA said.
In several areas, an RSV vaccine pilot scheme is in its early stages with only 37 pharmacies commissioned in the East of England but the CCA is calling for this to be expanded without delay.
Nick Thayer, CCA head of policy, said as well as expanding this pilot scheme – as well as an MMR vaccine initiative in the North West – there were other areas where vaccine uptake could be boosted.
“Older adults who already attend pharmacy in big numbers for their flu and Covid vaccine are also eligible for pneumonia and shingles jabs. It makes sense for that cohort to get the rest of the vaccines they’re eligible for at the community pharmacy.”
Pharmacists have criticised the Government for not allocating enough funding to the sector and repeated raised concerns about the financial and workload challenges forcing many pharmacy owners struggling to cope, with some closing down entirely.
However, the CCA says that a properly funded vaccination scheme would enable pharmacies to deliver around 10 million vaccinations a year.
It argues that vaccine uptake could be increased by commissioning pharmacies to administer all the vaccines older adults are eligible, expanding the national booking service to all vaccines and reviewing supply models to ensure vaccines are available when and where patients need them.
Thayer said improved vaccine uptake in deprived areas “would save lives”.
Malcolm Harrison, CCA chief executive, said with people typically visiting their community pharmacists more often than their GP, gearing up pharmacies to deliver more vaccines is a “no brainer”.
“The UK has long held a world-leading position for vaccination but with uptake falling, we need action now to prevent further decline,” he added.
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “Community pharmacists have a vital role to play as we shift the focus of the NHS out of hospitals and into the community and we are working with the sector to make better use of their skills, including their role in vaccination programmes.”
An NHS spokesperson said: “Vaccination is one of the best ways to boost public health, second only to clean water.
“Community pharmacies play a role in the delivery of multiple vaccination programmes at times and in place that are convenient for patients, which is why they are such a crucial part of NHS England’s vaccination strategy.
“With more pharmacies located in areas of higher deprivation, they are well placed in reaching underserved communities and tackling health inequalities.”
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