Immunisation Services in Community Pharmacy

Pharmacist Immunisations in Queensland Community Pharmacies

This resource has been created to support community pharmacists who provide immunisation services.

It is designed for community pharmacists to use as an accessible directory for official resources relevant to these services. It includes information about:

• Education and training
• The immunisation journey – from preparing the consult room to claiming reimbursements
• Handling conversations about immunisation

Access the resource here.

Infection Control Management Plan

Chapter 4 of the Public Health Act 2005 (Qld) places obligations on owners or operators of a healthcare facility at which declared health services are provided take reasonable precautions and care to minimise the risk of infection to other persons. This includes development of an infection control management plan. Owners of a community pharmacy must ensure that there is a compliant plan, that it is followed, and that the effectiveness and implementation of the plan are reviewed at least yearly.

The following example has been developed to assist member pharmacies in completing their own compliant plan. When filling this plan out, pharmacists should think the other services they provide which require consideration of how infection control is managed.

Resources:

• Queensland Guild Infection Control Guideline EXAMPLE
• Queensland Guild Infection Control Management Plan EXAMPLE 
  NB: The example provided must not be copied and used as the infection control management plan of the pharmacy. It is the legal responsibility of the pharmacist-owner or manager to create and review the plan to ensure that it accurately reflects operations in the pharmacy.
• Queensland Health: 
  • Infection Control Management Plan
  • Infection prevention and control guidelines and resources

Offsite Vaccination Services

Since late 2023, Queensland community pharmacists have been authorised to administer immunisation medicines in a range of locations outside of the pharmacy. Locations that do not require any additional approvals as listed in the Extended Practice Authority – Pharmacists are:

• aged care facilities;
• general practices;
• private health facilities;
• public hospitals; and
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Services.

All other locations at which you may wish to offer vaccination services, such as workplaces, a patient’s home, schools, etc. require a general approval to be granted by Queensland Health.

The following resource has been developed as a brief checklist to highlight the key points to consider when offering an offsite vaccination service from your pharmacy.

• Offsite Community Pharmacist-Administered Immunisation Services