Health · Healthcare & Policy · 1 hr ago
Care home nurses in Lancashire and South Cumbria can vaccinate residents
NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria is letting trained care home nurses give vaccinations to residents and staff in their homes.
The programme began with a pilot during the pandemic in Barrow-in-Furness, where nurses gave Covid-19 and flu jabs.
The scheme has now expanded across the region, with care homes choosing whether to take part.
Previously, primary care services were responsible for vaccinations in care homes, but arranging timely jabs could be difficult, especially for residents with complex needs such as dementia.
Having familiar staff give the vaccinations can make the experience more comfortable and may help residents get vaccinated sooner.
It also reduces reliance on external providers and frees up capacity in GP practices and other primary care services.
Twenty-three care home groups have joined so far, and another 11 want to take part in 2027; other areas are interested in adapting the model.
NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board has rolled out a programme allowing trained care home nurses to vaccinate their own residents and staff.
The ICB says it is the first commissioning body in the UK to enable nursing home staff to deliver vaccinations to residents.
The programme was piloted during the pandemic in care homes in Barrow-in-Furness, where nurses administered Covid-19 and influenza vaccines.
It has since been offered across Lancashire and South Cumbria on an opt-in basis.
The ICB says the approach can improve timely access to vaccination and free up capacity in primary care.
- Who
- NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board and trained care home nurses.
- What
- A programme enables care home nurses to vaccinate residents and staff.
- When
- It was piloted during the pandemic and has since been rolled out across the region.
- Where
- Lancashire and South Cumbria, including an initial pilot in Barrow-in-Furness.
- Why
- The ICB says the approach can improve timely vaccination, make residents more comfortable and reduce pressure on primary care.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The programme was designed and piloted in Barrow-in-Furness, with care home nurses giving Covid-19 and influenza vaccinations.
The programme was rolled out across Lancashire and South Cumbria on an opt-in basis.
Twenty-three care home groups had opted in, while another 11 wanted to join in 2027.
- Opted-in care home groups
- 23
- Groups wanting to join
- 11 in 2027
- Care homes in the region
- 134 individual homes
- Nursing beds in the region
- 6,546
- Pilot location
- Barrow-in-Furness
What people are saying
Care home residents are among the most clinically vulnerable members of our society so protecting them from illness is a priority.
Identifying that we have a skilled nursing workforce in this sector, and recognising that they are best placed to vaccinate residents, means that this new approach not only ensures residents feel more comfortable and safe being given a vaccination by someone they know, but it also frees up vital NHS resource by taking some of the burden off GP practices and primary care networks.