Public health commissioning
NHS England works closely with Public Health England and the Department of Health to provide and commission a range of public health services.
Extension of NHS seasonal influenza vaccination
In 2017 NHS England provided additional funding to support the delivery of flu immunisation for social care workers that offer direct patient/client care. It has now been confirmed that this will continue in 2018/19 and will be extended to include health and care staff in the voluntary managed hospice sector that offer direct patient/client care. Arrangements have been put in place for the 2018/19 influenza vaccination scheme for eligible health and social care and hospice staff to be offered by GP practices and community pharmacy as part of the seasonal flu programme. Read the letter from Professor Stephen Powis to social care organisations confirming this extension.
For action: Flu vaccinations for 2018 and planning flu clinics
Following advice from Public Health England (PHE) issued last year, NHS England wrote to general practices and community pharmacies on 5 February 2018 to recommend the use of adjuvanted trivalent flu vaccine (aTIV) for those aged 65 years and over in the coming flu season.
A letter and guidance were published in August 2018 emphasising the clinical recommendations around the most effective flu vaccine for patients for the 2018/19 flu vaccination programme. We have provided guidance and support to help you and your teams implement these requirements.
Local actions to ensure aTIV is offered to individuals aged 65 years and over has now been published.
If you need any further advice or have any queries please contact the PH Commissioning team: england.phs7apmo@nhs.net.
Public health functions agreement (Section 7A)
The NHS has a critical part to play in securing good population health. The public health functions agreement (S7A) is an annual agreement between the Secretary of State for Health and NHS England.
Vaccine ordering for 2018-19 influenza season
Letters have been shared with GPs and community pharmacies, CCGs and providers to ensure their influenza vaccine orders for the 2018/19 season use the most effective vaccines for the population.
Public health national service specifications
Check the national service specifications for the public health functions agreement (Section 7A) 2018/19.
Public health commissioning intentions
Gateway Reference: 05907
NHS England Public Health Commissioning Intentions for 2017/18 have now been published. They set out to healthcare providers notice of NHS England’s Commissioning Intentions for Public Health Services under the Public health functions agreement (Section 7A).
Immunisation and screening
The operational letter provides information about the fourth year of the shingles immunisation programme from 1 September 2016.
This is a shingles immunisations training update for healthcare professionals, as developed by PHE
This document sets out how national, regional, and local operational and governance arrangements for national screening and immunisation programmes in England will be coordinated.
Child Health Information Services (CHIS)
The documents below outline the standards of delivery for the Child Health Information Service and Systems (CHIS) recognising that current practice and delivery requires improvement.
Be Clear on Cancer campaign
Be Clear on Cancer – Be Clear on Cancer campaign announcements and updates.
Public Health England, in partnership with the Department of Health and NHS England, run the Be Clear on Cancer campaign programme. The campaigns aim to improve early diagnosis of cancer by raising awareness of symptoms and encouraging people to see their GP earlier.
Professor Chris Harrison, National Clinical Director for Cancer at NHS England has issued an announcement letter on the re-launch of the Be Clear on Cancer ‘Blood in Pee’ campaign that will run from 19 July to 23 September 2018.
The briefing sheet and other campaign resources are available from the online PHE Campaign Resource Centre.
Previous campaign information
- Be Clear on Cancer campaign focusing on respiratory symptoms – May to August 2017
- Be Clear on Cancer campaign focusing on respiratory symptoms – July to mid-October 2016
- Be Clear on Cancer ‘Blood in Pee’ campaign – March to April 2016
- Be Cleer on Cancer campaign focusing on breast cancer – July and August 2015
- Be Clear on Cancer Campaign Announcement and Update Letter from NHS England, Public Health England and Department of Health – May 2014
- Be Clear on Cancer campaigns for February and March 2014
- Letter with provisional plans, March 2013
- Symptom awareness campaigns, letter issued 20 December 2013
- Be Clear on Cancer – information for professionals
Sexual Assault Referral Centres
Who pays for Screening and Immunisation within the Maternity Pathway Payment
This document is a refresh of the document published in January 2014 and aims to further clarify the funding streams for Public Health Section 7A Screening and Immunisation Programmes within the Maternity Pathway Payment. The document standardises which commissioner, NHS England or Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), and which NHS England funding stream is responsible for payment of the activity.
Collection of Immunisation and Vaccination Data
NHS England intend to use the existing data collection for immunisation and vaccination collected by Public Health England (PHE) via the ImmForm system, solely for public health purposes to monitor vaccine uptake for the protection of public health.
This letter informs GP Practices.
Public health participation framework
The framework for patient and public participation in Public health participation framework describes how NHS England involves patients and the public in the commissioning of these services.