403 - NHS Primary Care Bulletin - 27 August 2026

Introduction

This article summarises the NHS England Primary Care Bulletin for 27 August 2026, the weekly email update for teams in general practice, dentistry, community pharmacy, and optometry.

Main themes of the week

The bulletin highlights key updates in various areas of primary care, including the launch of HPV self-testing, the publication of NHS dental statistics, and guidance for pharmacy clinical services audits. It also addresses developments in general practice regarding seasonal vaccinations and ongoing efforts to improve patient care in optometry.

Primary care updates

HPV self-testing launched through the NHS Cervical Screening Programme

HPV self-testing has been introduced as an option for women aged 30 to 65 who have not attended cervical screening. The initiative is invitation-only and will be implemented in phases. Invited individuals can order a free kit via the NHS App or telephone line. Resources, including a communications toolkit and Q&A, are available to assist primary care colleagues, along with a patient information leaflet (log-in required). An e-learning module will be available following the NHS Cervical Screening Programme webinar.

Reminder: publish National Booking Service capacity for vaccination appointments

Pharmacy and GP providers are reminded to publish vaccination appointments on Manage Your Appointments (MYA) for the seasonal vaccination programme. The National Booking Service (NBS) is now open for eligible members of the public to book appointments from 1 October or from 1 September for pregnant individuals.

Publication of the educator development fundamentals framework

The educator development fundamentals framework has been released to support healthcare educators across all NHS professions. It outlines nine core capability areas essential for delivering high-quality education, supervision, and assessment in primary care settings.

Flu vaccination – communications resources available

To support the national flu programme for 2026/27, NHS England has published the public seasonal vaccinations toolkit.

Dentistry updates

NHS dental statistics for England 2025/26 published

The latest NHS dental statistics for England indicate a 6.2% increase in courses of treatment and a 5.1% increase in units of dental activity for 2025/26. Notably, adult and child treatment figures have returned to pre-pandemic levels, reflecting the commitment of NHS dental teams.

Reminder: Compass users must check their email address is correct by 28 August

Users of the NHS Dental Services Portal (NHSDSP), set to replace Compass, must ensure their email addresses are accurate by 11.59 pm on 28 August 2026. Guidance on updating email addresses is available here.

General practice updates

Single Point of Access in the NHS e-Referral Service sessions

NHS England is engaging with general practice regarding the elective Single Point of Access (SPoA) model. Engagement sessions will provide information on changes to the NHS e-Referral Service (e-RS) and offer a platform for questions and discussion. Interested parties can register here.

Tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) in primary care for weight management

The implementation of tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) for weight management requires additional support for patients. Prescribers should refer patients to the NHS England commissioned Healthier You: Behavioural Support for Obesity Prescribing service for nutritional and behavioural advice. Further details are available in this journal article and NHS England publication.

Availability of the Record a Vaccination Service system for GPs collaborating under the PCN DES

From autumn/winter 2026/27, GP teams in primary care networks (PCNs) that use the EMIS system will have the option to use the Record a Vaccination Service (RAVS). More information will be provided by regional teams soon.

GP additional guidance for recording seasonal vaccination events updated to include vaccinations for people experiencing homelessness

The GP additional guidance for seasonal vaccinations has been updated to include instructions for vaccinating individuals experiencing homelessness aged 16 and over.

New resources to support high-quality urine sample collection for suspected UTIs

To assist with the accurate diagnosis of urinary tract infections (UTIs), the UK Health Security Agency and NHS England have developed new leaflets and videos for patients on how to collect urine samples effectively.

Community pharmacy updates

National health campaigns 2026/27: dates confirmed

Under the Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework 2026/27, community pharmacy contractors are required to promote two national health campaigns. The first campaign will run from 5 October to 25 October 2026, focusing on respect for pharmacy teams. The second, promoting Pharmacy First, will take place from 1 February to 21 February 2027.

Move to self-service on Profile Manager for time-limited MenB vaccination programme

From 27 August 2026, pharmacies can manage their participation in the Find a MenB pharmacy programme through self-service options in Profile Manager.

Pharmacy Quality Scheme 2026/27 clinical services audit guidance published

The clinical services audit guidance for the Pharmacy Quality Scheme (PQS) 2026/27 has been released, outlining the process for auditing clinical records.

Palliative and end of life care questionnaire now live

The Palliative and end of life care questionnaire is now available for community pharmacy contractors to gather feedback for service development. The submission deadline is 31 December 2026.

Optometry updates

Special educational settings – revised specifications for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities - sight testing and oral healthcare

NHS England has updated the specifications for sight testing and oral healthcare in special educational settings for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities. The updated specifications can be found on NHS England's website.

Get involved

Share thoughts on granting proxy access in the NHS App

The NHS App team is seeking input from practice managers and administrators on proxy access. Participate in the anonymous survey by 21 September.

Help shape a new checklist for working with interpreters

Healthcare professionals are invited to contribute to a survey for a new checklist aimed at improving communication with patients who have limited English proficiency. Complete the survey by 30 September 2026.

Upcoming webinars and events

AI Ambassador Network meeting

• 2 September, 10.30am–12pm. AI & putting people first in health & social care

Primary care lung cancer webinar

• 24 September, 12:30 – 1:15pm. Primary care lung cancer webinar

GIRFT community MSK webinar

• 24 September, 12.30pm. Supporting patients with chronic pain

Catch up

For those who missed recent national webinars, slides and recordings are available at General Practice webinars.

Content in this article is drawn from the NHS England Primary Care Bulletin. Patient.info edits and formats the updates to provide a clear, accessible archive for professionals. For the original email, click here.