Meningococcal Disease Response

Resources:

• NHS England Updates
• Free Supply Extended to Ciprofloxacin (CPE Update)
• HWE ICB Meningitis Brief (25 March 2026)

Actions for Community Pharmacies:

• Community pharmacies must dispense FS-endorsed prescriptions without collecting a charge
• Provide refund advice only where FS was incorrectly omitted and a charge was paid
• Use the helpline for non-clinical enquiries
• Symptomatic individuals need urgent referral to urgent care
• Chemoprophylaxis: Patients may present at community pharmacies with NHS prescriptions for chemoprophylaxis. Community pharmacies must dispense the prescription in line with usual practice. There is no commissioned service for community pharmacy to initiate chemoprophylaxis for NHS patients
• A prescription charge exemption using the ‘Free supply for specified use (FS)’ endorsement has been approved for all prescriptions presented for this purpose. Guidance on how prescribers should apply this endorsement and how pharmacy teams should correctly submit ‘FS’ endorsed prescriptions can be found on the CPE website
• Anyone presenting with symptoms suggestive of meningitis (this could include patients referred into Pharmacy First through the usual pathways) or rapidly deteriorating illness, should be directed to urgent care via 999 or A&E for immediate emergency assessment. Any concerns should be documented and escalated through local clinical governance routes if appropriate
• Ensure that all pharmacy staff are kept up to date on the most recent UKHSA guidelines regarding the management of this outbreak to support patient awareness and care navigation
• Independent Prescribing: Pharmacist prescribers are advised not to issue private prescriptions for chemoprophylaxis. UKHSA is centrally coordinating chemoprophylaxis, so community pharmacies are advised not to issue private prescriptions for meningococcal disease prophylaxis requests. This is essential to:
  • Prevent individuals bypassing UKHSA’s clinical prioritisation process
  • Ensure UKHSA are aware of all potential exposure cases to support with contact tracing
  • Ensure prophylaxis is limited to the appropriate cohorts
  • Preserve supplies of antibiotics
  • Avoid inappropriate use outside national guidance
  • Support antimicrobial stewardship.

Do Not:

• Issue private prescriptions for chemoprophylaxis (GP or community pharmacy)
• Provide chemoprophylaxis outside UKHSA-defined cohorts
• Collect prescription charges from patients with an FS endorsement

Guidance for Patients:

• Refunds for patients who have already paid: If a patient from the affected cohort has already paid a prescription charge and requests a refund, they can write to the hc5refundquery@nhsbsa.nhs.uk to request a refund. Patients should include a covering letter outlining their circumstances and their proof of payment, an FP57 or till receipt, where they retained this. Or they can telephone 0300 330 1343
• A patient helpline, run by UKHSA, is now available for general enquiries. Patients can phone 0344 225 3861, Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm if they have no symptoms but are concerned, they have been in contact with a confirmed case

Signposting & Advice:

Worried students, parents, or members of the public may seek advice from their community pharmacy teams. If an individual believes they may have been exposed, please advise them to follow UKHSA instructions rather than seeking private antibiotics.

Community Pharmacy teams are advised to remain vigilant for symptoms of meningococcal disease. Symptoms may include:

• Fever
• Severe headache
• Neck stiffness
• Photophobia
• Non‑blanching rash
• Vomiting
• Confusion, drowsiness, or altered consciousness
• Limb pain, cold extremities, or mottled skin (potential early sign)