Background
To protect the population (particularly older adults and infants) this winter, a new immunisation programme against Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is being introduced in September 2024. RSV is a leading cause of GP appointments, hospitalisations, ICU stays and deaths every year in the UK.
To address the increasing number of vaccine-avoidable Pertussis (whooping cough) infant deaths, there will be a range of catch-up activities to drive uptake of the vaccination in pregnant women and improve records of these events.
Both programmes will be carried out in a range of clinical settings, meaning that we must have a way to flow a record of a vaccination from Data Processing Service (DPS) to Patients’ registered GP Practices by the start of the RSV campaign in September. This will enable accurate records, including to support the response to vaccine adverse reaction and help avoid duplicate vaccination of Patients.
Planned strategic data flow developments will not be in place to meet the needs of these programmes, so we need an alternative in place for September.
We have applied updates to the Requirements and Documentation sections inline with the updated structure for DSIC Standards.
Outline Plan
GP Practice Solutions to receive RSV and Pertussis Vaccinations via Digital Medicines and Pharmacy FHIR Payload for ingestion, by the Effective Date.
Please allow 1 month for NHSE assurance.
NHSE Vaccination Digital Services (VDS) team to send a sample file to the Suppliers by 01/07/2024 followed by additional files to support assurance once the full list of Product and Procedure Codes are defined, currently targeting end 31/07/2024.
The Digital Medicines and Pharmacy FHIR Payload specification remains unchanged and therefore, RSV and Pertussis will look the same as COVID and Flu, with the exception of two new titles, a new Procedure, Product Terms and Codes.
<title value="RSV Vaccination Record"/>
<title value="Pertussis Vaccination Record"/>
Summary of Change
Digital Medicines and Pharmacy FHIR Payload: Requirement DMPF1 and DMPF2 updated | ||
ID | Requirement | Level |
DMPF1 |
Implement and maintain the Digital Medicines and Pharmacy FHIR Payload inline with the latest specification version The following immunisations to be supported:
| MUST |
DMPF2 | Pharmacy Emergency Medication SupplyImplement and maintain the Digital Medicines and Pharmacy FHIR Payload inline with the latest specification version to receive notifications of | MUST |
Digital Medicines and Pharmacy FHIR Payload: Documentation updated |
|
Full Specification
The updated Digital Medicines and Pharmacy FHIR Standard will be added at a later date. Proposed changes can be viewed in the Summary of Change above.
Assurance Approach
Digital Medicines and Pharmacy FHIR Payload FHIR Vaccinations flow – NHS England to GP Practice Solution
In Scope
Assure that the GP Practice Solution can auto-ingest new vaccination records into their system, displaying them correctly and uncorrupted.
Assure uploading of information to Summary Care Record (SCR).
Assure that the GP Practice Solution can ingest vaccination records into their system, allowing relevant staff to assess the updates and perform ingestion.
Update of clinical safety documentation and complete clinical assurance to secure Clinical Authority To Release (CATR).
Out-of-Scope
Non-functional assurance e.g. can the Suppliers support the expected volumes.
Any UI elements that are not directly involved in displaying vaccinations data.
Migration of vaccinations from a previous GP Practice Solution. The assumption is that it is being comprehensively covered outside of VDS Solution Assurance scope.
Interaction with Spine services, other than to validate the SCR can be seen in SCR and matches the data sent.
Any data flows downstream of the GP Practice.