Understand what a Vaccine Group Direction is, and how it is used to support vaccine administration
27 April 2026
(Last updated: 27 Apr 2026 10:08)
Amendments to HMR 2012 supporting vaccine supply and deployment
On 31 March and 1 April 2026 a number of amendments to the Human Medicines Regulations (HMR) 2012 came into force. These amendments have been introduced to support and improve vaccine deployment and supply across the UK.
Expert speakers from the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service (SPS), the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), NHS England (NHSE) and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) outline the amendments to the regulations. The background to the legislative changes is explained by the DHSC.
Learn more about these changes on the SPS website.
As a result of these updates there is an introduction of Vaccine Group Direction (VGD). This is a legal mechanism to support the administration of UK licensed vaccines within nationally commissioned vaccination programmes (e.g. commissioned by an NHS body or Local Authority).
Vaccines may also be administered under a Patient Specific Direction (PSD), Patient Group Direction (PGD) or a HMR 2012 Schedule 17 exemption.
Only vaccines administered for the purpose of providing protection against an infectious disease caused by a virus or bacteria can be administered via a VGD; the use of VGDs does not extend to any other type of vaccine.
VGDs permit registered healthcare practitioners, listed in legislation, to clinically assess and administer vaccinations to individuals without the need for them to be prescribed.
VGDs allow some tasks within the vaccination process, such as vaccine preparation, administration and record keeping to be delegated to suitably trained registered and non-registered healthcare practitioners. Each VGD will specifically state which tasks can be delegated and to whom and this may vary between VGDs, so it is important to check each VGD carefully. VGDs do not permit delegation of clinical assessment to receive the vaccine nor gaining informed consent, these activities must be undertaken only by registered healthcare practitioners listed in the legislation.
VGDs were introduced into legislation in April 2026 and build on the experience gained from the National Protocols used during the pandemic to support the administration of ‘flu and coronavirus vaccines.
Learn more about VGDs on the SPS website.