Guidance

Meningococcal disease and ciprofloxacin: PGD template

Patient group direction (PGD) template to supply or administer ciprofloxacin for meningococcal disease clusters in educational or residential settings.

• From: UK Health Security Agency
• Published: 17 February 2017
• Last updated: 16 October 2025 — See all updates

Applies to England

Documents

Prophylaxis ciprofloxacin for meningococcal disease: PGD template

MS Word Document, 189 KB

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Details

This patient group direction (PGD) supports the supply or administration of ciprofloxacin to adults and children for the management of clusters of meningococcal disease, when 2 or more cases are reported in a congregate or other closed setting. PGD version 05.00 is valid from 20 October 2025 to 19 October 2028

It can be used when a decision has been made by an experienced member of the UK Health Security Agency Health Protection Team or by the Incident Management Team to offer chemoprophylaxis, for example, to:

• educational settings (nursery, primary, secondary schools)
• care homes
• military barracks 

The PGD template requires further authorisation by a clinical governance or patient safety lead who has designated responsibility for signing PGDs. It is not legal or valid without this local, formal authorisation.

The authorising commissioning body and providers are responsible for the adoption and governance of use of this PGD. Provider organisations and health professionals should check they are using the current version and only work to a legally authorised PGD from their commissioning body.

Published 17 February 2017

Last updated 16 October 2025 + show all updates

1. 16 October 2025

   Updated PGD version 05.00, which is valid from 20 October 2025 to 19 October 2028.

2. 24 October 2022

   Added version 04.00 see page 2 for changes.

3. 11 September 2019

   Added new version of PGD template.

4. 6 June 2018

   Updated 'Meningococcal disease: PGD template for the supply or administration of ciprofloxacin'.

5. 17 February 2017

   First published.