Pharmacies and GPs will be able to share flu vaccination data, allowing them to see which patients have been vaccinated, by the next flu season, according to NHS Digital.

NHS Digital told our sister publication Pulse it is currently working with pharmacy and GP system suppliers to implement the IT system updates, which should go live in summer 2019, in time for the 2019/20 season.

The change comes after the new NHS data standards, published in November, said NHS IT systems ‘must talk to each other’.

Pharmacists and GPs have had a historically tricky relationship when it comes to delivering the flu service, with both providers battling it out to vaccinate the same group of patients.

 

'Digital transfers'

 

An NHS Digital spokesperson said: ‘We are working to digitise the transfer of activities, such as flu vaccinations from community pharmacies to GP practices. We are currently engaged with pharmacy and GP system suppliers to implement standards, delivered in conjunction with the Professional Record Standards Body.

‘These will enable the digital transfer of important information regarding patient care between a community pharmacy and GP practice. We are on track to move from technical development to proving the transfer of information in a live setting in the summer of 2019, and look forward to making further announcements as our delivery plans progress.’

Last year, the local medical committees (LMCs) and local pharmaceutical committees (LPCs) in Wessex partnered on a campaign to encourage more patients to get a flu vaccination at either their local pharmacy or GP practice.

A version of this story was originally published by our sister publication Pulse