The legal definition of a patient group directive (PGD) is ‘a written instruction for the supply and/or administration of a licensed medicine or medicines in an identified clinical situation, signed by a doctor or dentist and a pharmacist’. It applies to groups of patients who may not be individually identified before presenting for treatment.

NHS England/UKHSA have produced a suite of PGDs for practices commissioned by NHS England to deliver immunisations as set out in the Section 7a agreement.

The PGDs cover the authorisation of staff, documentation, audit requirements and general guidance on best practice required to safely administer vaccines.

Please note: It is the clinician’s responsibility to ensure that the PGDs they are using are up to date. If a PGD has expired and it has not been updated, these immunisations should be administered under a Patient Specific Direction (PSD) instead.

The following PGDs are for use by practice nurses in the delivery of immunisations in the East of England only.

• Patient Group Directives (in alphabetical order)

Further information about PGDs and PSDs is available on the Specialist Pharmacy Service website.

All national Covid PGDs and national protocols can be viewed on the main NHS England website at Patient Group Directions (PGDs) for COVID-19 vaccines and National Protocols for COVID-19 vaccines