Training matters

With the summer holiday period in full swing and the flu season around the corner, appropriate training in vaccinations is as vital as ever.

Learning online is a great way to gain skills without travelling far and in a safe environment.

After all, those with highly technical careers, like airline pilots, make extensive use of computer simulators to hone skills in a risk-free setting and training should be seen as an investment rather than an expense.

Travel Patient Group Directions (PGDs) enable independent community pharmacists to provide their local community with a travel health service, by offering an extensive range of travel vaccinations including yellow fever, malaria prophylaxis, travellers’ diarrhoea and others.

Oral PGDs cover medicines for 12 different conditions including erectile dysfunction, hair loss, malaria prophylaxis and others.

The NPA offers these services, as well as training for administering vaccinations, including NHS flu service, private flu service, travel clinic service and full vaccination training at locations including St Albans, Manchester, Glasgow, Belfast and more.

The sessions cover multiple vaccination techniques, such as intramuscular, subcutaneous, intranasal, intradermal, anaphylaxis management, as well as basic life support and are supported by a series of online training modules.

Author:  Sue Hobdey Head of Professional Development NPA