Exclusive: Community Pharmacy Scotland has revealed no pharmacies are providing respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccinations as part of a nationwide programme which started on Monday and there are no plans to involve them in the near future.

CPS told Independent Community Pharmacist that health boards in Scotland are providing vaccines for the elderly while pregnant women are receiving them through appointments with midwives. However, it is not clear why community pharmacies have not been chosen to vaccinate people against a highly infectious respiratory virus that affects the breathing system and, according to Public Health Scotland (PHS), is the leading cause of emergency respiratory admissions to hospital for infants in Scotland. 

The vaccine is available to pregnant women who are 28 weeks into their pregnancy to protect newborns and infants as well as those who turn 75 between August 1, 2024 and July 31, 2025 and those aged 75 to 79.

“Currently, there are no plans to involve community pharmacies in Scotland in the programme,” a CPS spokesperson said. PHS also told ICP: “Community pharmacies are not being routinely funded to assist with roll-out of the RSV programme.”

In June, the Scottish government said health boards and health and social care partnerships would be responsible for delivering the RSV programme through "appropriate local managed and/or commissioned services."

During a visit to a vaccination clinic in the Hub Community Centre in Clydebank on Monday, Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney said the Scottish government had “acted quickly with partners to introduce this vaccine in time to maximise the benefit to the more vulnerable ahead of winter” but gave no clues as to why pharmacies have not been included in the RSV vaccination programme.

“This programme will reduce the numbers seriously ill or hospitalised, helping to manage the significant winter pressures on our NHS,” he said.

In contrast to Scotland, 50 pharmacies in England are set to pilot a pharmacy-based RSV vaccination programme. NHS England will commission 25 pharmacy contractors in NHS Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board and 25 in NHS North-East Essex ICB to provide the service.