Tens of thousands of people experiencing homelessness will be offered flu and pneumococcal disease vaccines as part of a new national programme.
From this week, NHS teams and charity partners will offer the vaccines for people sleeping rough or using homeless hostels or night-shelters.
The new programme comes as Prime Minister Andy Burnham has pledged to end rough sleeping in the UK.
NHS pop-up clinics and mobile vans will also be established in homeless hotspots to reach out to this vulnerable section of the population.
The homeless face increased health risks from these diseases due to exposure, underlying health conditions, poor living conditions, poor nutrition, high levels of stress and limited access to healthcare.
People who are registered can also get vaccinated at their GP practice or visit a community pharmacy.
NHS teams and partners hope increasing vaccination coverage among vulnerable groups can also help to protect the wider public by reducing the community spread of flu.
This will help prevent avoidable hospitalisations and easing winter pressures on NHS and emergency services during periods of high demand.
Some of these pop-up clinics will also offer additional services such as TB screening, cancer checks and sexual health services.
The NHS rollout follows after the government accepted expert advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) to make NHS pneumococcal and seasonal flu vaccinations available to the homeless.
The Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, said: “Nobody should have to sleep rough, but while people are on the streets, we have a duty to keep them safe.
“This NHS initiative will provide vital vaccinations, protecting some of the most vulnerable people from potentially deadly viruses.
“We are delivering for people in crisis now, while changing the system for the long term so everyone has a route off the streets for good.”
Company Chemists’ Association Chief Executive Malcolm Harrison said: “People experiencing homelessness face significant barriers to accessing healthcare, despite having some of the greatest health needs. With a strong presence in the country’s most deprived communities, community pharmacies are ideally placed to provide accessible healthcare and vaccination, without the need for an appointment.
"We believe community pharmacies should be commissioned to provide the full range of NHS vaccination programmes wherever clinically appropriate. Doing so would make it easier for people to get protected, help reduce health inequalities and make better use of capacity within primary care.”
National Pharmacy Association Chair Olivier Picard said: "We're really proud of the role pharmacies are playing protecting those experiencing homelessness from flu this year, a valuable service for some of the most vulnerable in society.
“As well as this, it’s really important that the millions of people eligible for flu and covid vaccines come forward for vaccination, with 90 per cent of pharmacies offering this service on their high streets.
