Immunisation Community of Practice

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.

Pfizer is sponsoring a 6-week consumer awareness radio campaign on pneumococcal pneumonia that will commence on 29^th August 2022 on 2GB in Sydney and 3AW in Melbourne. This campaign is a pilot and may be extended to other cities later this year.

There are 15 second and 30 second versions of two different ads, directing consumers to visit mylunghealth.com.au to take a short quiz to assess their risk of pneumococcal pneumonia and to speak to their doctor or nurse for more information.

You can listen to the 30 second versions of the ads by clicking the links below.

• 2GB Sydney – 30 second ad
• 3AW Melbourne – 30 second ad

Since July 2020, one dose of Prevenar 13® is funded for non-Indigenous adults 70 years and older, Indigenous adults 50 years and older* and people with certain risk conditions*. Prevenar 13® can be given at any time of year and only one dose is needed.

Prevenar 13® is recommended even in patients who have previously received 23vPPV, at least 12 months after their 23vPPV dose.

Please visit the Australian Immunisation Handbook for a complete list of funded risk conditions and pneumococcal vaccine recommendations https://immunisationhandbook.health.gov.au/contents/vaccine-preventable-diseases/pneumococcal-disease#recommendations

*followed by 23vPPV doses

Share Your Immunisation Story via a photo or video

Are you interested in sharing your story via a pre-flimed video on how you have overcome or addressed an immunisation problem or have a great story to share?

If so please email details of your story to Rebecca at rbrennan@thephn.com.au, by Friday September 2nd

On this day I'd like to remind you that the meningococcal B vaccine (Bexsero®) was added to the National Immunisation Program schedule for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children <2 years of age, on the 1 July 2020.

Why is it being funded?

The incidence of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) caused by serogroup B is highest in young children compared with other age groups and it is about 4 times higher in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children aged <2 years than in non-Indigenous children.

Immunisation providers are reminded to identify Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people within your practices and discuss the need for additional recommended vaccines. It is important to alert parents of the need to buy paracetamol prior to vaccination.

Dose schedule

The number of Bexsero® doses required depends on age and presence of any medical conditions that increase the risk of IMD. For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children with:

• no medical risk conditions: 3 doses in total (given at 2*, 4 and 12 months of age)
• with risk conditions for IMD:4 doses in total (given at 2*, 4, 6 and 12 months of age)

Catch-up vaccination

Meningococcal B vaccine catch-up is available for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children aged <2 years until 30 June 2023.

Co-administration with other vaccines

The meningococcal B vaccine (Bexsero®) can be safely administered with other childhood vaccines and can be given at the same time at the 2*, 4 and 12 months schedule points.

Meningococcal vaccines for Australians - NCIRS fact sheet

Clinical advice for vaccination providers - Meningococcal vaccination schedule from 1 July 2020

Meningococcal B consumer resources

• Order posters here
• Order brochures here

Hear from this year's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children's Day Ambassador Thomas Mayor about the 2022 theme and how to get involved: https://buff.ly/3oSOLLQ

Vaccines are recommended throughout an individual’s life to protect against vaccine-preventable diseases severity and complications. Increasingly more vaccines are becoming available and are recommended for use in adults. This guide aims to assist immunisation providers identify vaccines that can be co-administered in people aged 18 years and older.

This guide should be used in conjunction with the Australian Immunisation Handbook and is available on the NCIRS website.

Co-administration of vaccines for adults: a guide for immunisation providers

The Ministry of Health (MoH) have recently released information re the Reimbursement of private flu vaccines that were purchased for the “Free Flu Vaccine” in June/July program. Please contact your PCIO or myself if you did not receive this notification or require a copy of the form.

Once the form is completed, all relevant invoices are to be attached and returned to to MOH-NSWHealth@health.nsw.gov.au by COB Friday 26 August 2022.

The form states it is to be used by GPs. It has been clarified by the MoH, that one form should be submitted per practice, the person completing the form (who is listed as the contact person), should be the most appropriate person at the practice to assist with vendor set up. This person could be a practice manager, nurse or GP. One provider number can be listed even if that provider is not completing the form.

Sanofi have advised that some FluQuadri vaccine stock supplied into Australia has international packaging with eligibility wording “For 3 years of age and older” (see photo). This includes FluQuadri supplied for the NSW Government’s universal flu vaccine program for people aged 5-64 years, who are not otherwise eligible under the National Immunisation Program (NIP).

The ATAGI statement of the administration of seasonal influenza vaccines in 2022 advises that FluQuadri may be given to children from 6 months of age.

Sanofi advises that these batches were approved by the TGA for supply in Australia under s19A, and that Sanofi was required to send this advice to all GP practices before distributing.

Provider reminder: ALL children aged 6 months to <5 years are eligible for free influenza vaccine under the NIP (Vaxigrip Tetra and Fluarix Tetra) as detailed in the ATAGI statement.

• Adults aged 50 to 64 years are now recommended to receive a winter booster dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
• Adults aged 30 to 49 years can receive a winter booster dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, however the benefit for people in this age group is less certain.
• The interval recommended between a recent SARS-CoV-2 infection or the first booster dose and a winter booster dose is now 3 months.