National pharmacy vax plan
STATE and Territory Health Ministers from across the country have taken a key step towards the establishment of a nationally consistent approach to pharmacist administered vaccination.
At the COAG Health Council meeting in Adelaide last week, pharmacist vaccination was one of the top agenda items, with attendees agreeing to harmonise current arrangements.
The Australian Health Protection Principal Committee has been formally tasked with “establishing a working group to consider and recommend options to COAG Health Council,” according to a communiqué released after Fri’s meeting.
The Pharmacy Guild of Australia welcomed the move, with National President George Tambassis saying “it makes great sense for Australians, regardless of where they live, to have the same option of accessing vaccinations conveniently and safely from their local pharmacist.
“We welcome the Ministers’ support for the common sense position that there should be a uniform availability of such vaccination services across Australia,” Tambassis said.
The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) also applauded the Health Council’s initiative “to build on the success of pharmacist vaccinations.
“Research has shown internationally and locally that pharmacists are considered highly accessible and they can boost vaccination rates, contributing to a reduced burden on our already over-burdened healthcare system,” said PSA President Shane Jackson.
Jackson said it clearly didn’t make sense that pharmacists can only vaccinate for meningococcal disease in Tasmania, and pertussis in some states such as South Australia, Victoria & Queensland.
He cited independent research commissioned by the Society which revealed that almost two thirds of Australians believed pharmacists should be able to administer a broader range of vaccinations.
The COAG initiative comes in the lead-up to an expansion of the vaccination scope of pharmacists in Vic, who from later this month will be able to administer the Measles Mumps Rubella (MMR) vaccine more details on
PHARMACISTS in Victoria will be able to immunise patients with the MMR vaccine from next Mon 22 Oct, with the age of access for pharmacist vaccinations in the state also lowered to 16 years.
The move was announced two months ago (PD 13 Aug 2018) and a joint communiqué from the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia, the Pharmacy Guild and the Victorian Department of Health & Human Services has provided further detail around the plan.
Victorian pharmacist immunisers will be authorised to administer the vaccine to individuals aged 16 and over, but the update notes they are not authorised to provide the vaccination for travel purposes, hospital inpatients or people with contraindications defined in the current edition of the Australian Immunisation Handbook.
Pharmacist immunisers in Vic will also be authorised to administer influenza and pertussis vaccines to people aged 16 and over, with consent from a parent or guardian required for those under 18.
Pharmacists are expected to maintain competency through continuing professional development, and must report all vaccines administered to the Australian Immunisation Register.
The Victorian Government noted that “pharmacists play an important role in the delivery of opportunistic immunisation, and improving access to vaccinations for people who are most at risk of complications from some preventable diseases”.