Pharmacies will play a crucial role in this winter's NHS flu vaccination service, says Jo Churchill as she gets her jab in a community pharmacy

Pharmacy minister Jo Churchill said pharmacies would play a crucial role in this winter's NHS flu vaccination service as she got her "flu jab done" in a community pharmacy in London.

Following her vaccination, arranged by the National Pharmacy Association (NPA), at Keencare Pharmacy in Victoria today (Sept 22), she said: “I can’t stress enough how important it is that people in eligible groups get their flu jabs. Pharmacies play a crucial role in the NHS flu vaccination service and I got my flu jab done in a pharmacy today."

The minister also thanked the NPA for "highlighting how important it is for people to get protected” and making the arrangements for Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) staff to be vaccinated.

According to the NPA, one of its members, Mike Patel of Pearl Chemists in London, gave flu vaccinations to dozens of officials at the DHSC.

Following the national roll-out of the UK's "biggest flu vaccination programme in history" from September 1, Churchill is among a number of government ministers, including chancellor Rishi Sunak and Justin Tomlinson, to have visited a community pharmacy to get their seasonal flu jabs.

NPA chief executive, Mark Lyonette, said: “We were delighted to arrange for NPA members to vaccinate Ministers and Department of Health & Social Care officials against flu. Events like this help spread the message that people can get themselves protected against flu in a variety of settings, including conveniently at their local pharmacy.

"It’s also a further reminder to senior politicians that pharmacies are vital public health facilities, which need support to keep on delivering great patient care and address population needs.”

Sanjay Ganvir, director of Green Light Pharmacy (which owns Keencare Pharmacy) tweeted photos of minister Churchill receiving her flu vaccination.