“We strongly urge pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to get COVID-19 and flu vaccinations at the earliest opportunity, unless they are medically exempt, and ask them to encourage other members of their team to get vaccinated as well. For healthcare workers, getting vaccinated protects the individual, their family, and colleagues, as well as patients and the public.
“We responded to the Government consultation [PDF 192KB] on making COVID-19 vaccination a condition of deployment for frontline health and care workers in England who are providing face-to-face care across the CQC-regulated health sector. There was already an existing statutory requirement for those working or volunteering in care homes in England to be vaccinated against COVID-19. We noted in our response that the Government was not proposing to extend the legal mandate to people working in pharmacies regulated by the GPhC. Wherever pharmacy professionals are working we urge them to take up the vaccine.
“As the Secretary of State’s announcement relates to the deployment of NHS staff, it will be for NHS employers to lead on implementing this policy. We recommend that any pharmacy professionals in England who work in settings regulated by the CQC, and who have questions or concerns about these requirements, should speak to their employer in the first instance.”