August 18th 2026

By Ailsa Colquhoun

DDA updates flu dispenser training

We may think of influenza (often abbreviated to flu) as just another upper respiratory tract infection, like the common cold. However, it is significantly more deadly. Even during non-pandemic seasons, flu remains a potentially fatal condition. In 2025-2026, around 3,800 people died in England because of flu.

The risk of death is behind the Government’s push to encourage annual flu vaccination. GP practices have a critical role in helping to target and promote the benefits of vaccination to those vulnerable groups most at risk from flu in your practice.

This updated training, available free and exclusively to DDA members, is designed to provide practice dispensary staff with background information on flu, self-assessment to check understanding, and a certificate of completion for your CPD records.  By the end of the training, you will:

• Be aware of flu, its causes and symptoms
• Understand why flu is such a risk to public health
• Know how to manage symptoms and when to refer
• Be able to support patients with prevention and self-care in flu
• Understand the dispensary management challenges for flu vaccines

View the updated 2026 flu training in the member only library of Dispenser Education Modules