Patient Group Directions (PGDs)
Patient Group Directions (PGDs) provide a legal framework that allows some registered health professionals to supply and/or administer specified medicines to a pre-defined group of patients, without them having to see a prescriber (such as a doctor or nurse prescriber). Supplying and/or administering medicines under PGDs should be reserved for situations in which this offers an advantage for patient care, without compromising patient safety.
You can read more about PGDs on the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) website.
These webpages provide PGD resources for the following areas:
And contain the following information:
- PGDs currently in use and available to download
- Routine immunisation schedules
- Frequently asked questions (FAQs) about PGDs
- Links to other PGD resources
This information can be made available in formats, such as easy read or large print, and may be available in alternative languages, upon request. Please contact the team covering your specific area.
Types of PGD
Routine immunisation programmes
The PGDs and associated information provided through this website relate to NHS England South East commissioning of Routine Immunisation Programmes. Please select the area you work in to access the PGDs that apply to your local area.
Travel vaccinations
Some travel vaccinations are provided by the NHS free of charge. The NHS website provides more information about this. PGDs for travel vaccinations are available in some areas of NHS England South East but not others. If a PGD isn’t available, or the vaccine is being given on a private prescription, an alternative mechanism such as Patient Specific Directions (PSDs) must be used to administer these vaccines.
Emergency Preparedness, Resilience and Response
Emergency Preparedness, Resilience and Response PGDs are a specific set of PGDs to ensure national capability to respond appropriately to a chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) event. These PGDs must only be used under these specific circumstances