The Medical Defence Union (MDU) gave the advice after receiving calls from practices wanting to delegate the task of administering flu vaccinations to HCAs, and asking about the medico-legal implications.
Dr Karen Roberts, MDU medico-legal adviser, said: ‘We recognise that the role of HCAs is changing and many are taking on extended roles.
‘We ask doctors and nurses to ensure they have assessed that the healthcare assistant is competent to take on the role, in line with GMC and NMC advice on delegation, and have kept a record of the training programme.
‘In addition, we expect the practice to have a protocol in place which complies with the law on the administration of vaccines and to have a system to monitor the healthcare assistant’s performance and keep the training up-to-date.
‘We also advise that a doctor or nurse practitioner be on the premises while a HCA undertakes flu vaccinations, in case of need or emergency.’
