Flu vaccination significantly reduces flu-related illness, hospitalisation, and death, easing the burden on health and social care services. Comprehensive and continuous training is essential to ensure healthcare professionals are well-prepared, supported, and informed about current guidelines. This is crucial for the success of the vaccination programme in safeguarding public health during the demanding winter season
In our blog series Get Prepped for Flu, we will delve into the significance of flu vaccine training and why it is important to be prepared. We will look in detail into what the requirements for flu training are for Registered Healthcare Professionals and the specific immunisation training pathways that each of you and/or your staff will be required to do in order to be compliant with the National Minimum Standards and Core Curriculum for Immunisation Training for Registered Healthcare Practitioners document. This compliance ensures you and your team are competent to safely and effectively promote and administer flu vaccinations, as well as other vaccinations.
Firstly, Why is Flu Vaccine Training so Important?
Comprehensive & Up-to-Date Flu training is vital for several reasons:
1. Patient Safety
Flu vaccines are medical interventions that must be administered correctly to ensure patient safety. Training equips healthcare professionals with the knowledge and skills to handle vaccines properly, including understanding the proper storage, handling, and administration techniques. By undergoing correct training, healthcare professionals can minimise the risk of errors or complications during the vaccination process.
2. Efficiency and Effectiveness
Vaccines are most effective when administered correctly. Healthcare professionals need to be trained on the specific vaccine formulation being used, including any updates or changes in the vaccine composition. By staying up-to-date with the latest information, they can ensure the vaccine is administered appropriately, maximising its effectiveness in preventing influenza.
3. Patient Education
Healthcare professionals play a crucial role in educating patients about the importance and benefits of receiving the flu vaccine. Training allows them to stay informed about the latest research, vaccine recommendations, and addressing common misconceptions or concerns. This knowledge empowers healthcare professionals to effectively communicate with patients, increasing vaccine acceptance rates and promoting public health.
4. Adverse Event Management
Although rare, adverse events can occur following vaccination. Healthcare professionals need to be well-versed in recognising and managing any potential adverse reactions promptly. Training provides them with the necessary skills to identify and respond to adverse events appropriately, ensuring patient safety and well-being.
5. Evidence of Competence and CPD
Training programmes often include assessments and evaluations to ensure healthcare professionals have acquired the necessary knowledge and skills. These assessments help maintain a high standard of vaccine administration but also help to show that practitioners are developing and can be used as evidence for their portfolio. Adhering to national standards and guidelines also ensures legal and professional compliance.
National Minimum Standards For Immunisation Training Explained
Healthcare practitioners from a wide diversity of professional backgrounds now give immunisations in many different settings and service areas. The National Minimum Standards and Core Curriculum for Immunisation Training for Registered Healthcare Practitioners is a key document which sets out a recommended minimum framework for developing training to meet the needs of all registered healthcare practitioners with a role in immunisation. These standards serve as a benchmark, ensuring consistency and quality across different healthcare settings. The document can be used by training providers as a ’checklist’ to ensure that any training being offered is comprehensive and meets the minimum standards for content.
A Summary Of The Training Requirements
The Standards document clearly states that any registered healthcare practitioner who advises on and/or administers immunisations, must have received specific relevant foundation training and have been assessed as competent by a registered practitioner who is experienced, up to date and competent in immunisation. They should only administer and/or advise on immunisations if they feel competent to do so.
What Foundation Training Should Those Practitioners Who Are New To Immunisation Receive?
Those new to immunisation should receive comprehensive foundation immunisation training. The recommended minimum duration relates to those advising on or administering the routine national schedule and should be two days for a taught course or 10 hours of e-learning. Training for practitioners who only administer specific vaccines, can be tailored to their needs and may therefore be shorter in duration.
The content of foundation training should include the following topics:
- The aims of immunisation, national vaccine policy and schedules
- The immune response to vaccines and how vaccines work
- Vaccine preventable diseases (for Flu this must include the Flu vaccine products’ specific information)
- The different types of vaccines, their composition and the indications and contraindications
- Current issues in immunisation
- Communicating with patients, parents and carers about vaccines
- Legal issues in immunisation
- Storage and handling of vaccines
- Correct administration of vaccines
- Anaphylaxis and adverse reactions
- Documentation, record keeping and reporting
- Strategies for optimising immunisation uptake
What Update Training Should Immunising Practitioners Receive?
Immunising healthcare practitioners should receive at least annual updates, however, more frequent updates will be required if substantial changes to programmes, policies or vaccines occur. To include all necessary information, update training is likely to need a minimum of half a day for those delivering the routine national immunisation schedule.
The content of annual update training should include the following topics:
- Current issues in immunisation
- Recent epidemiology of vaccine preventable disease
- Any changes to vaccine recommendations or national policy
- Update on vaccine ordering, storage and administration
- Any changes to legislation relevant to vaccination
- Review of current practice, recent vaccine incidents and identification of areas for improvement
- Q&A session for problems encountered in practice
To be specific about flu vaccines there would have to be dedicated information about those flu vaccine products for the coming flu season. The UKHSA recommend updates for the flu season for experienced vaccinators should include guidance on:
- recommended risk groups for the coming season
- current flu vaccines available for use
- which vaccine should be given to which groups
- any new advice or changes in recommendations for this flu season
- maximising uptake and ensuring safe and effective delivery of vaccine
Who Should Do Immunisation Training?
Any registered healthcare practitioner or healthcare support worker who wishes to administer vaccinations, should partake in immunisation training in line with their relevant training standards. However, in addition to this, the documents do recognise the fact that there are now many different staff involved in the immunisation process including some from non-clinical backgrounds, and that those providing advice or access to immunisation, in whatever service area, have access to training. This is important in order to ensure that they can provide basic information and facts, are able to advise where to get up-to-date information and give consistent messages about immunisation.
Who Should Deliver The Training?
The standards state that training should be provided by an experienced training provider. While training would ideally be provided at a local level, it may be obtained from an experienced training provider elsewhere, provided the training comprehensively covers the standards and curriculum detailed in this document.
How Should Training Be Delivered?
The guidelines state that e-learning courses provide an effective mechanism through which immunisers can access training provided they are given specific, protected training time in which to undertake these.
Where appropriate or necessary (particularly for those new to immunisation), a blended learning approach can be utilised with an e-learning course(s) used alongside practical sessions to help ensure participants achieve all of the required learning outcomes and consolidate their knowledge. The UKHSA strongly recommends interactive training where possible, particularly for those who are new to immunisation, where it provides the opportunity to ask questions.
Practical Skills
Developing clinical skills through supervised practice is essential. New vaccinators should work under the guidance of experienced practitioners to gain confidence and competence in administering vaccines. This supervision also applies to those returning to flu vaccination after a significant break and those previously trained for COVID-19 vaccines but new to flu vaccination. A competency assessment, such as the UKHSA Flu Vaccinator Competency Assessment Tool ensures vaccinators meet the required standards.
If I Am An Experienced Immuniser, Is There Anything Else I Need To Complete Other Than My Annual Immunisation Update Training?
As registered healthcare professionals, we all have a duty to ensure that as well as completing training, we are also competent to practice. Everyone has a responsibility to reflect on their practice, identify any gaps in knowledge or skills and act upon this. The Flu Vaccinator Competency Assessment Tool can also be used as a self-assessment tool to identify any areas where additional knowledge or updates are needed.
The UKHSA recommend updates for the flu season for experienced vaccinators should include:
- recommended risk groups
- current flu vaccines available
- which vaccine should be given to which groups
- any new advice for this flu season
- maximising uptake and delivering vaccines safely
Continuous Updating
Employers must ensure vaccinators have access to necessary technology for e-learning and online training and allocate dedicated study time for training. The UKHSA recommends Flu vaccinators must also stay informed with the latest guidance throughout the flu season. Updating should be an ongoing process throughout the flu season rather than a one-time requirement at the start. Key resources to stay up to date include:
- The Green Book Influenza Chapter 19
- Annual Flu Letters from the Department of Health and Social Care, NHS England and UKHSA
- UKHSA’s Flu Vaccination Programme Guidance
- UKHSA Vaccine Update
What About Basic Life Support And Anaphylaxis?
The standards document states that specific training in Basic Life Support and Anaphylaxis recognition and management, should also be undertaken annually or as per employer’s stipulations. The Resus Council UK Quality Standards: Primary care state that Clinical staff in primary care settings should have at least annual updates which should be practical in nature.
Are There Any Other Flu Vaccine Training Requirements?
At local level there may be further training required before staff are able to vaccinate depending on the nature of their current work. For example, Safeguarding training or infection control will be required for those who have not already completed it and there may be a local sharps disposal training relevant to your organisation.
We have included your Free Training Pathways flow chart below which you can download, print and attach to your staff notice board for future reference.
Stay Tuned For Part 2!
Join us next time in the second part of our blog series Get Prepped for Flu where we will explore the requirements of the National Minimum Standards and Core Curriculum for Immunisation Training for Healthcare Support Workers (HCSWs) and answer some of your Frequently Asked Questions.
Flu Vaccine Training – Plan Ahead This Season!
Whether you’re the one scheduling flu vaccine training for your organisation or having it scheduled for you, it’s never too early to get organised.
Do you need to plan the training around your summer holidays? Is it your responsibility to make sure that the whole team is up to date with their training? Are you the type of professional that likes to get the training done early and then revisit it before the season starts? Do you need to book a workshop session including BLS, Anaphylaxis & Vaccination skills? Does your clinic need a private flu PGD?
If the answer is yes to any of these questions, we can help make sure that you or your organisation is ready for the season well in advance. Visit our dedicated Flu Hub now to explore all of this years flu options. To find out more about the Immunisation Courses we offer please visit our Immunisation Course Page for more information.
