Pharmacist Vaccinations

Implementing a pharmacist-led vaccination service in Queensland

The following resource has been developed by the Business Support Team to assist in identifying the training, resources and infrastructure required to deliver a vaccination service that complies with the Queensland Pharmacist Vaccination Standards and the QC2020 Standards.

Resource:

• Queensland Pharmacist Vaccination Service Implementation Guide

Link:

• Queensland Health: Legislation, standards and extended practice authorities

Infection Control Management Plan

Chapter 4 of the Public Health Act 2005 (Qld) places obligations on owners or operators of a health care facility at which vaccination services are provided in relation to 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 by the Business Support Team 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:

• Pharmacy Guild Queensland Infection Control Guidance EXAMPLE
• Pharmacy Guild Queensland 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.

Link:

• Queensland Health: Infection control management plans

Templates:

• Infection Control Management Plans for Non-Hospital Healthcare Facilities
• Infection Control Management Plan Template
• ICMP Development Instructions

Vaccination Training

The Australasian College of Pharmacy now delivers the Pharmacy Guild of Australia's Immunisation Course. The course has been developed to provide the knowledge and skills required for pharmacists to deliver vaccination services to the community.

For course dates and registration information, please click here.

Australian Immunisation Register (AIR)

The Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) is a whole of life, national immunisation register, which captures vaccines administered to those living in Australia.

From 1 July 2021, it became federally mandated that all immunisation providers must report all flu, COVID-19 and National Immunisation Program (NIP) vaccines to the AIR.

Mandatory reporting to the AIR is also a jurisdictional requirement in Queensland as outlined in the Extended Practice Authority – Pharmacists.

Failure to comply with this legislation may result in significant financial penalties of up to 30 penalty units per vaccine that is not reported to the AIR. You can read more about this amendment to the Australian Immunisation Register Act 2015 here.

Accurate and timely reporting to the AIR helps:

• Determine an individual's immunisation status, regardless of where they received their vaccination.
• Develop one central access point, accessible by consumers where they can download an immunisation history statement to prove their immunisation status for childcare, school, employment, or travel purposes.
• Monitor immunisation coverage levels and service delivery, which can help to identify 'at risk' regions during disease outbreaks.
• Measure vaccination coverage at a local, state, and national level (Services Australia, 2020).

Reporting Vaccination Data to the AIR

Several options and methods are available for vaccine providers to log into and enter information into the AIR. These methods include:

• Directly through a Provider Digital Access (PRODA) account.
• Through professional services software such as MedAdvisor.
• Through My Health Record – data recorded on the AIR may be available on an individual’s record if they have not opted out of Medicare information (including AIR information) flowing through to their My Health Record.

For the most current directions on how to automatically upload to the AIR through your professional services software please refer to them directly for advice.

Regardless of the method used to enter administration data into the AIR, it is expected that vaccine providers enter in data within 24 hours from vaccine administration.

Prior to vaccine administration, providers must first check the individual’s vaccine history and for other comments of note such as allergies.