Immunisation

Overview

The CWDGP Immunisation Program aims to assist practices achieve and maintain immunisation coverage rates of 90% or higher.  The focus of the immunisation program is to support and encourage participation of general practice in the General Practice Immunisation Incentives (GPII) Scheme as part of the National Immunisation Program (NIP).  The Division can also provide GPs and practice staff with a high level of education regarding Cold Chain Management.  

General Practice Immunisation Incentive (GPII) Scheme

The GPII scheme provides financial incentives to general practices that monitor, promote and provide immunisation services to children under the age of seven years.  Practices receive an Outcomes payment of $6.00 for each age based vaccinations schedule that is reported to the Australian Childhood Immunisation Register (ACIR).  They also receive an Outcomes Bonus payment of $3.50 per whole patient equivalent (WPE) if the practice coverage rate is 90% or above and the practice has at least 10 WPEs.  Rates are calculated quarterly according to the data supplied by the ACIR.

The Division can support practices to improve their immunisation coverage rates by providing:

• education on how to use the ACIR secure internet site to report immunisation encounters
• education on getting report off the ACIR site
• education on data cleansing
• recall and reminder systems

GPs and practice staff also have access to ACIR information maintained by Medicare Australia.  Proceed to the Medicare website related to ACIR, for more information and related forms.  Link for ACIR secure site access request and the ACIR data base.

Vaccine Management and Storage (Cold Chain)

To ensure potency of vaccines used in immunisation it is essential the vaccines temperatures be maintained between 2^o and 8^oC during transport and storage.  This is referred to as the Vaccine Cold Chain.  Any deviation from this temperature range will result in some degradation of the vaccine.  Exposure to temperatures outside the recommended range has a cumulative effect in reducing vaccine potency which cannot be reversed. The cold chain begins when vaccine is manufactured, moves through to their state or territory vaccines centre and ends with the immunisation provider at the time of administration to patient.  All GPs and practice staff should be familiar with the current National Vaccine Storage Guidelines "Strive for 5" (click here to download).

Approximately 10% of government spending on vaccines is lost through cold chain failure.  In our Division the loss varies from $4,000.00 or more per cold chain breach due to non purpose built vaccine fridges.  We want to ensure patients have not been exposed to non-viable vaccines and avoid having to recall for re-vaccination.  Purpose built vaccine fridges (PBVF) offer:

• a stable, uniform and controlled cabinet temperature not affected by ambient temperatures
• most internal space can be used for vaccine storage
• are programmed to stay between 2^o and 8^oC with a quick recovery rate when needed, due to restocking etc. 
• is less demanding and time consuming
• are fitted with an alarm if temperature goes out of range

The Division can also assist practices with data logging of domestic vaccine fridges.  A logger will be sent to practices with instructions to place the logger in the centre of the fridge where recordings of the temperature are taken every fifteen minutes for a period of twelve days.  When the logger is returned to the Division, the information will be downloaded and a report sent to you on the performance of the vaccine fridge.  Request a logger for a specific reason or the Division Immunisation Project Officer will send a logger to each practice at least twice a year.

For any queries or information on the following, please contact your Practice Liaison Officer or Immunisation Project Officer.

• purpose built fridges and suppliers
• how to pack a fridge/esky
• cold chain management
• vaccines storage guidelines

News and Updates

 Vaccine deliveries over Easter period

The State Vaccine Centre has provided advice about vaccine deliveries over the Easter holiday period:

- to ensure delivery before Easter, vaccine orders must be received by Tuesday 3 April

- there will be no vaccine deliveries on Thursday 5 April due to the Easter long weekend

- the first deliveries after Easter will be on Tuesday 10 April

- the normal 24/7 emergency cover will still operate over the holiday period.

Also, in relation to the Anzac Day holiday on Wednesday 25 April, metropolitan refrigerated deliveries for orders despatched on Tuesday 24 April will be delivered on Thursday 26 April. However, country orders received after cut off on Monday 23 April will not be despatched until Thursday 26 April for delivery on Friday 27 April.