Patients will get the flu medicines they need more quickly and at any time of the year, thanks to government changes to prescribing regulations, News Cover reports, citing UK government.
As part of its commitment to reduce winter pressures and protect the NHS, the government is removing the restriction that means certain flu medications cannot begin to be prescribed outside the usual ‘flu season’ until an annual letter of confirmation from the Chief Medical Officer is received, which can lead to delays in treatment.
These rules are being removed so action can be taken to tackle flu all year round. This will allow patients to receive treatment sooner and ease winter pressures by allowing outbreaks to be contained.
The move is part of the government’s ongoing drive to slash unnecessary bureaucracy in the health service through the red tape challenge and put power back in the hands of clinicians on the frontline.
It coincides with the NHS launching this year’s improved flu vaccine programme today (1 September 2025). The autumn rollout kicks off with flu vaccines for millions of children and pregnant women. And it follows the recent introduction of the chickenpox vaccine for thousands of children and the RSV vaccine for pregnant women and older adults across the country, as the government continues building the NHS’s defences ahead of winter.
