Training for Pharmacists for the Supply and Administration of Emergency Medicines and Vaccinations

Which training requirements do I need to complete?

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• Emergency medicines

  • If you wish to provide adrenaline (autoinjector only), you will need to have valid training in CPR and RESMA
  • If you wish to provide adrenaline (autoinjector and ampoule presentations), you will need to have valid training in CPR, RESMA and PAMT
  • If you wish to provide salbutamol inhaler, you will need to have valid training in CPR, RESMA and salbutamol
  • If you wish to provide glucagon injection, you will need to have valid training in CPR, RESMA, PAMT and glucagon
  • If you wish to provide glyceryl trinitrate aerosol, you will need to have valid training in CPR, RESMA and GTN
  • If you wish to provide naloxone, you will need to have valid training in CPR, RESMA and naloxone

• Vaccinations

  • If you wish to provide the seasonal influenza vaccine, you will need to have valid training in CPR, RESMA, PAMT, delivery of a vaccination service, and influenza 
  • If you wish to provide the pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine, you will need to have valid training in CPR, RESMA, PAMT, delivery of a vaccination service and influenza
  • If you wish to provide the herpes zoster (shingles) vaccine, you will need to have valid training in CPR, RESMA, PAMT, delivery of a vaccination service and influenza

How long is training valid for?

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• Click here for the validity periods of training

  Training programme	Validity period
  CPR Course for Adults and Children	2 years (or as stated by training provider)
  Responding to an Emergency Situation and Management of Anaphylaxis (RESMA)	2 years
  Herpes Zoster (Shingles) Vaccine	2 years
  Influenza Vaccine	1 year/season
  Pneumococcal Vaccine	2 years
  Glyceryl Trinitrate Spray	2 years
  Salbutamol inhaler	2 years
  Glucagon	2 years
  Naloxone	2 years
  Delivery of a vaccination service	Pharmacists are asked to reflect, self-assess and to evaluate whether they need to refresh their training in this programme, in order to ensure they have the necessary skills and knowledge to safely deliver a vaccination service. The PSI requires that this training programme is repeated if a pharmacist has not vaccinated in the past 12 months (or influenza season).
  A voluntary self-declaration form should be completed each year to attest to your competency to deliver vaccination and/or emergency medicines services

  Validity of Medicines Administration (Parenteral) (PAMT)

  Training programme

  Validity period

  PAMT

  Pharmacists are asked to reflect, self-assess and to evaluate whether they need to refresh their training in this programme, in order to ensure they have the necessary skills and knowledge to safely deliver the associated medicines or vaccination service. The PSI requires that this training programme is repeated if a pharmacist wishes to administer: a vaccine or emergency medicine via an injection route i.e. intramuscular or subcutaneous, which they have never previously administered; or a vaccine or emergency medicine via an injection route which they have neither practised (i.e. administered to a patient) nor been trained in the previous 12 months (or in the case of seasonal influenza vaccination, in the previous flu season). Please note that ‘trained in’ refers to training in the Medicines Administration (Parenteral) Training Programme.

What if I am an experienced vaccinator?

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• Click here for information

  When the modular training programme was first introduced in 2016, pharmacists who had completed training under the old training programme, prior to 2016, were given exemptions from certain training programmes. In particular, the PAMT and the delivery of a vaccination service training programme. These pharmacists were known as ‘experienced vaccinators’. The PSI Council in June 2019, in an effort to streamline training, improve safety, and to provide greater clarity, now require the same training of all pharmacists.

  Pharmacists who may never have completed the PAMT training programme or the delivery of a vaccination service training programme, and who have continuous vaccination experience since 2016 are recommended to reflect, self-assess and evaluate whether you need to refresh your skills and knowledge on the training programme. If you have had a break in vaccination experience, please refer to the validity periods of training above, to assess if you need to undertake training in these programmes.

• Influenza training programme: changes for 2020/2021 vaccination season
• Read the frequently asked questions on the influenza vaccination service.
• Practical Guidance when Providing a Pharmacy Vaccination Service During the COVID-19 Pandemic
• Safe Supply and Administration of Prescription-Only Medicines in an Emergency
• Provision of Vaccination Services
• Guidance on the Provision of an Influenza Vaccination Service for Children aged 6 months and older
• Guidance to support pharmacies in providing safe influenza vaccination services offsite from the pharmacy premises.
• Read the legislation which allows for these services.