Immunisation Community of Practice

The NSW pharmacist vaccination program has been expanded to include 6 additional vaccines:

• Hepatitis A
• Hepatitis B
• Japanese encephalitis – completion of an additional education module is mandatory
• Poliomyelitis
• Typhoid
• Zoster vaccine – Shingrix only not Zostavax.

The NSW Pharmacist Vaccination Standards and NSW Pharmacist Vaccine Authority have been amended to reflect this.

Additional information regarding the NSW pharmacist vaccination program is available here.

All sites will have their allocation for Moderna ancestral (red cap) set to zero in COVID-19 Vaccine Administrative System (CVAS) from Saturday 22 October 2022. Sites were able to place their last order for Moderna ancestral by midnight Friday 21 October 2022.

Two new provider types, Residential Care Facilities (RCFs) and Authorised Nurses Immunisers (ANIs) have been added to the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) and can apply for an AIR Provider Number. This AIR update provides information and advice on possible scenarios.

The advice is that a nurse in general practice is not required to get an AIR provider number and therefore an ABN is not needed.

If someone is working as a contractor and needs an ABN they can apply directly to the ABR and there is no fee to get an ABN.

Q In what settings should an ANI apply for an AIR provider number?

A In NSW a Registered Nurse/Midwife who holds the relevant qualifications for administering immunisations independently, has an ABN and who:

• plans on administering vaccines independently, or
• administers vaccines at a location that does not already have or is unable to register for an AIR provider number

The Authority for Nurse/Midwife Immunisers has been amended to include the following additional vaccines:

• Japanese encephalitis vaccines – mandatory training required
• Typhoid vaccines
• Herpes Zoster – Shingrix only. Does not include Zostavax

The Authority is available from: https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/immunisation/Documents/authority-for-RNs-and-midwives.pdf

In order to administer the Japanese encephalitis vaccines Authorised Nurse/Midwife Immunisers must have completed Japanese encephalitis: A resource for registered nurses and midwives

Researchers at the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance (NCIRS) are conducting a study investigating the current utilisation of vaccine safety surveillance systems by immunisation providers across Australia. To help inform this study, you are invited to participate in a short telephone or videoconference interview to share your experiences – good, bad or non-existent – with vaccine safety surveillance systems in your daily practice.

The findings from this study will help improve vaccine safety surveillance systems in Australia, ensuring they are fit-for-purpose for the needs of you and your patients in the future.

Click here to register your interest

Participants will be given a voucher for their time and interviews can be scheduled at a time that suits you to ensure there is no impact on your ability to see patients. Interviews will take place throughout October and November.

For further information or if you have any questions about the study, please email NCIRS Senior Program Officer, Nicola Carter at Nicola.Carter@health.nsw.gov.au

Expressions of interest close 30 October 2022.

If your practice has not received the vendor email invite to obtain your reimbursement for private flu vaccines. Please email kwisemantel@thephn.com.au with your details and best email address and I can action it with the Ministry of Health.

The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) has developed guidelines to provide advice on the management of a range of possible vaccine administration errors, including when a replacement (repeat) dose is recommended. The guidelines are available on the Department of Health and Aged Care website.

The latest version (7 September 2022) includes updated advice on incorrect storage and handling and consolidated advice on unapproved age group.

Immunisation payment statement

Recognised vaccination providers can access their monthly immunisation payment statement on the AIR site.

The benefits of accessing your payment statements from the AIR site are:

• they’re available immediately after each payment run
• you can view, save or print them as often as you need to
• you can access them when it’s convenient for you
• using your PRODA account, you can use any internet connected device including your PC, mobile phone or tablet.

The immunisation notifications reconciliation report includes immunisation details recorded on the AIR during the last month. It lists details about immunisation claims, AIR payments and reasons why a claim may not be payable.

This report is available on the AIR site on the second last Tuesday of each month.

Service Australia Vaccination Provider Information Payments

How to claim:

1. Complete the reimbursement form (one form per practice)
2. Attach vaccine purchase invoice
3. Email to: MOH-NSWHealth@health.nsw.gov.au (no confirmation email is sent)

Deadline: COB Friday 26th August 2022

Next steps:

Approximately 1-2 weeks after your email has been sent, you will receive an additional email from NSW Health

• From email HSNSW-eBusiness.WorkflowMailer@health.nsw.gov.au
• Subject line: “For Your Information: Invitation to register from Health System Support Group”
• With a request to set up your practice as a vendor in the NSW Health system
• Once you have been set up as a vendor, your payment request will be processed

If you have any questions regarding this reimbursement process, please contact NSW Health MOH-NSWHealth@health.nsw.gov.au.