Since April 2021 the provision of all NHS-funded routine vaccination and immunisation (V&I) services for children and adults has been an essential service, except for the COVID-19, childhood and seasonal influenza (adults and at risk) vaccination programmes which continue to be commissioned as enhanced services.

Practices are required to offer eligible registered patients routine vaccinations in line with the UK Vaccination and immunisation schedule and Statement of financial entitlements (SFE). A set of vaccination and immunisation standards (V&I standards) were introduced, together with 5 global sum funded core contractual requirements. These V&I standards apply to the vaccination programmes outlined in the SFE but practices are encouraged to apply them, as appropriate, to the seasonal vaccination programmes.

The Regulations have been updated to clarify the V&I standards, and from April 2024 include the addition of the data quality requirements following the 2024/25 contract consultation. These V&I standards, together with the core contractual requirements, underpin delivery and organisation of these essential V&I services. It is recognised that most practices are already working to the V&I standards and core contractual requirements, but where practices may not be achieving against them, this document will support practices in understanding what is required to meet them.

More details on this can be found here