Around 4,000 pharmacies have signed up to deliver the vaccine to the 1.2m eligible toddlers from next week.

Duncan Burton, chief nursing officer for England, said: ‘For busy families, it can be hard to fit everything in, but parents will now be able to pop into a pharmacy in their local high street or supermarket to get their little ones protected ahead of winter, when bugs tend to circulate.'

The expansion to pharmacies is also a key example of how the NHS is shifting healthcare from sickness to prevention as part of the 10-Year Health Plan, by improving access to vaccinations and keeping people out of hospital.

The move is part of a major vaccination campaign ahead of winter, which includes a new national campaign for newborns this month.

From 1 October, flu vaccines will start being rolled out to all eligible people. Over 12m invitations are being sent via email this week, with further invites set to go across the month via the NHS App, text and letter.