The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has made two influenza antivirals available to pharmacists at NHS expense due to rising flu levels in the community.

According to a letter published via the DHSC’s central alerting system, oseltamivir and zanamivir can now be supplied by community pharmacists and prescribed by pharmacists working in primary care for the prophylaxis and treatment of influenza, with the NHS covering the cost.

The letter states that the antiviral medicines may be prescribed for patients in clinical at-risk groups as well as anyone at risk of severe illness and/or complications from influenza if not treated.

This is in accordance with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance and the Selected List Scheme (SLS) in Part XVIIIB of the England and Wales Drug Tariff.

Community Pharmacy England (CPE) has emphasised that community pharmacy contractors who receive FP10 NHS prescriptions for oseltamivir (Tamiflu) or zanamivir (Relenza) must ensure that the prescriptions are endorsed SLS by the prescriber.

If the SLS endorsement is missing, the prescription should not be dispensed and will not be passed for payment by NHS Prescription Services, CPE advised. Pharmacy staff are not able to make the SLS endorsement themselves.

Earlier this week, NHS England’s (NHSE) new vaccination strategy stated a ‘cost-benefit analysis’ is to be undertaken to examine the case for central procurement of adult flu vaccines.

Meanwhile, a new report by UK public health officials has highlighted stark inequalities in the complications of flu and Covid infection related to deprivation and ethnicity.

Hospital admission rates for flu and Covid are more than two times higher for people living in more deprived areas, the analysis by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) found.