An active national campaign for the RSV vaccination programme is approaching, making this a timely opportunity for practices to ensure their teams are prepared.
In the coming weeks, NHS England will launch a national RSV invitation campaign aimed at increasing uptake among eligible older adults who remain unvaccinated. As with previous national vaccination campaigns, this is expected to result in a noticeable increase in patient enquiries and appointment requests across general practice and community pharmacy settings.
What will patients be told?
Eligible individuals will receive a national invitation advising them to contact their general practice to book an RSV vaccination appointment.
In areas where community pharmacy providers are commissioned to deliver RSV vaccinations, the invitation will also include:
-
A link to the National Booking Service
-
Access to the RSV walk-in service finder
As a result, patients may approach practices with differing expectations about where and how they can be vaccinated. This reinforces the importance of consistent and clear messaging at the point of contact.
Supporting care navigation teams
With the national campaign due to launch shortly, this is an important opportunity to remind care navigation and reception teams of the importance of:
-
Confirming patient eligibility for the RSV vaccination programme before booking
-
Understanding local vaccination pathways, including whether RSV is delivered by the practice, community pharmacy, or both
-
Providing clear, confident advice to patients who have received a national invitation
Ensuring teams feel confident in eligibility checks will help avoid inappropriate bookings, reduce patient frustration, and protect clinical capacity.
Capacity, supply, and appointment availability
Practices and commissioned community pharmacies are asked to ensure they are ready to meet the anticipated increase in demand. This includes:
-
Reviewing vaccine stock levels
-
Ensuring appointment availability aligns with expected uptake
-
Planning workforce capacity to deliver clinics safely and efficiently
Early preparation will help minimise pressure once invitations are issued.
Proactive call and recall remains essential
While the national invitation campaign will support uptake, practices are reminded that they remain responsible for proactive call and recall of eligible older adults, in line with Vaccination and Immunisation Standards.
National invitations should be viewed as a supportive measure, not a replacement for local responsibility in identifying, inviting, and vaccinating eligible patients.
Key takeaway:
With the RSV national invitation campaign launching in in February, now is the ideal time to:
-
Refresh care navigation team knowledge on eligibility and local pathways
-
Check vaccine supply and appointment capacity
-
Re-emphasise the importance of proactive call and recall
Good preparation ahead of the campaign will help ensure a smooth patient experience and support strong uptake of the RSV vaccination programme across primary care.