This page focuses on the flu vaccine and provides resources on flu and flu vaccinations.

If you are having any difficulties accessing vaccination in your frontline care role, please contact the Advice Centre. 

Recent update (December 2025)

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has received increased enquiries about Healthcare Support Workers (HCSWs) and their role in vaccination programmes, particularly regarding informed consent.

Can HCSW’s administer vaccines?

HCSWs are a vital part of the workforce and support the delivery of vaccine programmes. This may include having a role in the administration of vaccines. It is essential that they are suitably trained, prepared and supported for this and work within guidance.

Can HCSW’s seek consent to vaccination and vaccine administration?

When a vaccine is prescribed, such as through a Patient Specific Direction (PSD), the prescriber is responsible for obtaining informed consent for vaccination. (General Medical Council 2021; Nursing and Midwifery Council 2025).

The prescriber's responsibility under a PSD is to:

• Seek informed consent when prescribing vaccines
• Ensure the patient understands the risks and benefits of the vaccine by sharing information on the vaccine and addressing any queries
• Obtain consent verbally, via an electronic system such as Accurx, or using a written consent form
• Documenting the consent process in patient records.

Although healthcare support workers and other non-registered staff are not permitted to obtain informed consent for vaccination, they should still confirm the individual’s agreement to receive the vaccine, provided that informed consent has already been obtained by the appropriate registered healthcare professional.

Further reading

• GOV.UK. Consent: the green book. The UKHSA provides guidance in chapter 2 of the green book based both on the current legal position and the standards expected of health professionals by their regulatory bodies, in relation to consent. 
• GOV.UK. National Minimum Standards and Core Curriculum for Vaccination Training. This document sets the standards and lists the essential topics which should be incorporated into immunisation training.
• NHS England. Summary of legal mechanisms for administering Covid-19 and influenza vaccines. NHS England provides a useful table summarising legal mechanisms which enable administration of Covid-19 and influenza vaccines. This includes information on who can carry out the clinical assessment and consent and who can carry out administration of the vaccine.

References

• General Medical Council (2021). Good practice in proposing, prescribing, providing and managing medicines and devices.
• NMC (2025). Useful information for prescribers.

Influenza vaccination 2025-26 

The flu immunisation programme in the UK is based on recommendations by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), an independent expert advisory committee which advises all UK health departments on vaccination and immunisation programmes.

The guidance is available in the UK via the Government's Immunisation against infectious disease document, and in Chapter 19 of The Green Book. 

Vaccine types 

Vaccine types are recommended by the JCVI for use as part of the NHS Annual Influenza Vaccination Programme. The choice of which vaccine to use is advised by the JCVI, see: JCVI statement on influenza vaccines for 2025 to 2026. 

Eligibility 

The flu vaccine is recommended for the following eligible groups across the UK for the 2025-2026 flu season:

• Adults 65 years of age and over
• At-risk adults 18 to 64 years of age (including pregnant women)
• Children aged 2 to less than 18 years of age
• Children less than 2 years of age in at-risk groups

See the Green Book Influenza chapter 19 for full details on eligible groups. Eligibility for vaccination may differ across the UK countries. Please see the respective annual flu letters:

• England: National flu immunisation programme plan 2025 to 2026
• Northern Ireland: Seasonal influenza vaccination programme 2025/2026 (PDF)
• Scotland: Winter Programme 2025 - seasonal flu and COVID-19 vaccination
• Wales: National influenza immunisation programme 2025 to 2026 (WHC/2024/028)

Health and social care workers

Health care workers have a responsibility to protect their patients and for nurses this is detailed in the NMC Code. Flu vaccination for health care workers helps to stop the transmission of the flu virus and is fully supported by professional bodies including the RCN and the British Medical Association (BMA).

Having a flu vaccine annually remains the best way to protect against catching or spreading flu. We recommend that all members with direct patient care (including students on placement) are fully vaccinated against flu to reduce the risks of spreading the infection to the people they care for. See: RCN position on health care staff and the influenza vaccine.

General guidance

• Flu campaign resources: England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales

Immunisation training

England 

• National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE): Flu vaccination: increasing uptake Quality Standard (QS190 2020)
• UKHSA: National Minimum Standards and Core Curriculum for Vaccination Training
• NHS England: Flu immunisation e-learning programme. NHS England e-learning for health care (NHSE elfh) works with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) each year to update the Flu Immunisation elearning programme to ensure it is up-to-date for the forthcoming flu season.  

Scotland

• NHS Education for Scotland: Seasonal flu programme
• NHS Education for Scotland: Immunisation e-Learning resources

Wales

• Public Health Wales: Immunisation training resources and events

Northern Ireland

• HSC Public Health Agency: Healthcare worker flu resources

Country specific guidance

England

• UKHSA: Annual flu programme resources
• NHS England: General practice enhanced service specification – seasonal influenza vaccination programme 2025/26
• NHS: Influenza vaccination
• UKHSA: Flu vaccinations: supporting people with learning difficulties
• GOV.UK: Flu vaccination programme 2025 to 2026: healthcare practitioners

Northern Ireland

• Public Health Agency: Seasonal Influenza public health information and Flu Aware NI
• HSC Public Health Agency: Information for health professionals

Scotland

• Public Health Scotland: Flu immunisation programme overview
• Public Health Scotland: Scottish Vaccine Update

Wales

• Public Health Wales: Immunisation e-Learning
• Public Health Wales: Immunisation training resources and events
• Public Health Wales: Flu vaccination
• Public Health Wales: Flu resources for health and social care professionals