Pharmacies offering a travel vaccination service in addition to travel health advice, will generally operate using patient group directions.

They will also want to take into account PHE's February 2018 update of its 'Immunisation training standards for healthcare practitioners'. This document combines the substantially revised minimum standards and core training first published in 2005 by the former Health Protection Agency.32

It reflects how vaccine provision has expanded into a wide range of settings in that time, including pharmacies. Among the document's recommendations for practitioners who have had initial training are:

·       annual (or more frequent) updates should be provided on immunisation training;

·       all practitioners with a role in immunisation should have access to national policies and updates;

·       all practitioners involved in immunisation should know who to contact for expert immunisation advice and support;

·       those responsible for provision of the immunisation service (the employer) should ensure that all staff administering or advising on immunisations have received training that meets these national standards.

If providing immunisations under a PGD, you will need to ensure the PGD is current and reflects the best practice outlined by PHE. Keeping abreast of training should include the recent epidemiology of vaccine-preventable disease, as well as current issues in immunisation.32

Outbreaks of a disease may not always hit the headlines. Having the pre-travel health discussion with a customer and being up to date on epidemiology can therefore have its benefits. Not only might it encourage vaccination uptake, and adherence to that vaccination schedule, better protecting the traveller, but it can also help protect their home community on their return.15