Although authority to administer vaccines may be granted by the preparation and signing of a patient group direction (PGD), pharmacists must achieve competency in all aspects of vaccine administration prior to delivering a service. Ideally, immunisation training should take place at a local level and be led by local trainers. Involving local experts in delivering training enables immunisers to raise local issues for further discussion.

It is important to include the following when devising training for pharmacists to administer vaccines:

• Principles of immunisations
• Understanding of the disease(s) and national target groups for immunisation
• Current legal requirements for consent
• Data protection
• Documentation required
• Professional accountability
• Use of the PGDs
• Knowledge of cold chain requirements
• Assessment of fitness for vaccination
• Identification of true contraindications to vaccination
• Practical vaccination skills, including route, needle size and injection site for administration
• Dosage and presentation of vaccine
• Preparation and disposal of vaccination equipment
• Physiology of anaphylaxis and allergic reactions
• Potential causes of anaphylaxis and ways of decreasing the risks
• Signs and symptoms of and differences between anaphylaxis and fainting
• Treatment of anaphylaxis, equipment required, adrenaline dosages and sites for its administration
• Recording of adverse events to vaccinations and use of the Yellow Card reporting system.

Usually this will require a full day's training. Following on from a formal training session, it is necessary to undertake a number of supervised administrations €“ the number required depending on the individual. Pharmacists need to be confident in their own ability and the supervisor needs be satisfied of their competency.