General practitioners (GPs) have threatened to stop providing flu-related shots to National Health Service (NHS) patients, claiming for an increment in their pays.
As per the British Medical Association (BMA), the Government should at least raise its funding for flu jabs for GP practices by 34%.
In a letter to Prof Sir Chris Whitty, the Chief Medical Officer for England, the BMA claimed it was “no longer financially viable” for some surgeries to offer flu boosters.
Currently, family doctors are only getting £10.06 for each flu jab they deliver, but it has remained “static” since 2018-19.
The union requested an increase in payment for all vaccines to £13.48.
Meanwhile, payments for childhood immunisations such as measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) have raised to £2 a dose, and GPs have also been getting payments since the pandemic for all the Covid vaccines they have administered.
As per data, GP practices offered nearly 18.2 million flu vaccines in 2024-25. The extra £3.42 per flu vaccine would cost the NHS nearly £62.2m more every year if a similar number of vaccines were administered.
While highlighting the severity of consequences that may occur, Dr Julius Parker, the deputy chairman of the BMA GP committee, wrote in a letter, “The consequences of the real-term decline in funding for these programmes can be severe for both GP practices and patients.”
“We are already hearing from practices across the country that they do not intend to sign up for next year’s flu programme and consequently are not planning on ordering vaccine stock,” Dr Julius added.
An NHS England spokesman said: “While GPs are benefiting from higher fees for vaccinating children, and will receive another increase for next autumn and winter’s Covid programme, the NHS will keep funding under review to ensure it delivers for patients, taxpayers and providers.”
