Pharmacy Checklist & Contact Details for support

Pharmacy Readiness Checklist

Complete these implementation steps to ensure full technical and legal compliance before you begin vaccinating:

1 – Sign the Regional PGD 

Download the latest East of England Patient Group Direction (PGD) for the vaccine. Every individual vaccinator (pharmacists or qualified pharmacy technicians) must be authorised by name under the current version before administering doses.

2- Set Up RAVS & NBS Profiles

System Access.

Ensure your site has active access to the Record a Vaccination Service (RAVS) (platform for recording vaccines) and that your National Booking Service (NBS) profile is active. For RAVS access support, email ravs.support@england.nhs.uk.

3 – Order Vaccine Stock & Consumables

Supply Chain.

Obtain the MenB vaccine (Bexsero®) packs via the Federated Data Platform (FDP), you may have to register. Remember that packs of 10 doses come without needles, so you or your team will need to supply/purchase your own appropriate needles.

4 – Fridge & Cold Chain Management

Clinical Safety

Rotate local stock immediately upon delivery to minimise waste. NHS England recommends holding no more than 2 to 4 weeks’ worth of stock at any given time to protect cold chain integrity.

Core Helpdesk & Support

• National RAVS Support: Email Ravs Support or call 0333 038 4268 (Select Option 3). Open Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM.

Official Resources & Specification Links

• Service Specification & Setup: Community Pharmacy England Meningitis B Service Page — For full service specifications, national briefings, and implementation toolkits.
• Clinical Guidance: UKHSA & NHSE MenB Temporary Offer Letter & Annex A (GOV.UK) — Detailed breakdown of vaccine recommendations, scheduling, and product handling.
• Regional PGD Hub: NHS England East of England — Patient Group Directions — The official repository for downloading and verifying local vaccination PGDs.
• Recording Platform: NHS Record a Vaccination Service (RAVS) — Portal used to securely log vaccinations and trigger automated payments.