The number of people getting the flu vaccine from their local pharmacy has jumped by 46%, new figures from the HSE have shown.

According to figures for the 2017/2018 flu season, 115,095 people got their vaccine from the their community pharmacist compared to 78,935 the year before.

This accounts for one in every seven flu vaccinations performed.

The figures have been welcomed by the Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU), which pointed out that despite this increase, pharmacy vaccination has not taken patients away from more traditional vaccine providers. In fact, since pharmacists started offering flu vaccinations in 2011, GP flu vaccinations have increased by 8% and HSE vaccinations by 140%.

The flu season in Ireland runs from October to April, and every year, between 200 and 500 people die from the illness. People in at-risk categories are advised to get vaccinated, and those in at-risk groups who have a medical card can get vaccinated free of charge at their local pharmacy.

At-risk groups include people aged 65 and older, pregnant women, nursing home residents and healthcare workers.

Speaking about the figures, IPU president, Daragh Connolly insisted that pharmacists ‘are the most accessible healthcare professionals', with 1.5 million visits by the public to local pharmacies every week.

"The work undertaken by pharmacists delivers significant benefits to both patients and the State, by taking pressure off other parts of the healthcare system, including GPs and hospitals, allowing them to focus on patients with more complex conditions who require medical intervention," he insisted.

Recent research suggests that members of the public would like to be able to access more services from their pharmacy.

"The strong year-on-year increase in uptake on flu vaccines in pharmacies shows that increasing services available in pharmacies is for the betterment of patients and the healthcare system," Mr Connolly added.