Pharmacies in the West Midlands can apply to deliver the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and pertussis (whooping cough) vaccine, under an NHS England invitation to tender published last week.

Those interested in providing the service have until 12-noon on Friday 14 March 2025 to respond.

While both vaccinations are normally provided through general practice and NHS trusts, community pharmacies could be commissioned to deliver the service in areas of identified additional need, NHS England said.

In such areas, up to 66 sites will be commissioned to provide the RSV vaccine to adults and pregnant women 'to provide additional capacity and increased access', as well as to provide the pertussis vaccination programme opportunistically to pregnant women.

The sites will be spread as evenly as possible across NHS Black Country ICB, NHS Leicester, Leicestershire, and Rutland ICB, and NHS Birmingham and Solihull ICB.

The service will begin in May 2025 and will continue until 31 March 2027, with a possible extension until 31 March 2029.

Participating pharmacies will be paid an Item of Service (IoS) fee of £9.58 for the administration of each RSV and pertussis vaccine to each eligible patient.

Pharmacies interested in providing the service have until 12-noon on Friday 14 March 2025 to respond to the invitation to tender.

A recent study found a major drop in respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) related hospitalisations following vaccination among eligible age groups in Scotland.