RSV vaccination programme – national invitation campaign
From w/c 28 July 2025 NHS England will launch a national RSV invitation campaign. Invitations will be sent over a 3-week period with email invitations being sent first, followed by NHS App and SMS invitations. Those without an NHS App read receipt in 24 hours, and without an accepted SMS number will be sent a letter.
Invitations will be sent to individuals who have turned 75 years old ahead of the campaign as well as individuals that were aged 75- 79 as of 1 September 2024. Invitations will not be sent to individuals that:
- have already been vaccinated
- have a future RSV booking on NBS
- have requested nationally to opt out of the RSV vaccination programme
- have never previously been registered with a GP.
- live in some areas in the East of England, Midlands and North West regions where community pharmacy providers have been commissioned to deliver RSV vaccines.
Also, invitations will not be sent to eligible pregnant women.
The invitation will include a call to action for eligible people to contact their GP to book an RSV vaccination appointment. The invitation will also highlight that the recipient is eligible for a free NHS pneumococcal and shingles vaccine and can contact their GP surgery if they have missed either vaccine.
GPCE have been informed of the invitation campaign and a communication has been issued via the primary care bulletin. The purpose of this email is to advise GP practices of the timescales for the invitation campaigns and have sufficient capacity to meet the demand for appointments.
A separate invitation campaign will run for eligible individuals living in the areas where the community pharmacy providers have been commissioned to deliver RSV vaccinations. The community pharmacy specific campaign will launch during w/c 7 July 2025 for the East of England and Midlands regions, the w/c 4 August 2025 for the North West region and in late September/ early October for the London region. These invitations will include a link to the national booking system where vaccination appointments can be booked at the commissioned community pharmacy sites and a link to the RSV walk-in service finder tool that has been developed.