Immunisation


Overview

 The NIP was established in 1997 through the Immunise Australia: Seven Point Plan after an Australian Bureau of Statistics survey in 1990 revealed that only 53% of children under four years of age were being fully immunised.

The initiatives included recognising a bigger role for GP’s as vaccine service providers as well as the monitoring and evaluation of immunisation targets through the establishment of the GPII, introduced to provide financial incentives to GP’s who provide age appropriate immunisation to children under seven years of age.

Divisions of General Practice also increased their involvement to ensure GP’s follow current immunisation protocols and that proper arrangements were in place for vaccine storage in general practice. The monitoring and evaluation of immunisation targets using data supplied by the Australian Childhood Immunisation Register (ACIR) was also introduced to encourage competition and inspire practices with low rates to improve their coverage.

These initiatives remain in place today and are supported by the Division who implement a range of initiatives that promote and support the NIP. The immunisation program in the Division focuses on the following areas:

  • Implementing the ASVS by providing high level practice support focusing on cold chain maintenance, data
    cleansing, resources and information
  • Monitoring and increasing practice participation in the GPII Scheme and other local and national programs
  • Collaborates with other key stakeholders (Population Health Units, Queensland Health Immunisation Program,
    GPQ, Local Councils and other vaccine service providers) to ensure timely and accurate information to general
    practice.
  • Monitoring the performance of individual practices through ACIR data to identify those with low immunisation
    coverage rates. These rates affect the overall coverage rate of the Division and therefore our national ranking
  • Promoting the uptake of electronic transfer of immunisation records (where applicable) to ACIR

Objectives

The immunisation program has two main objectives:

  • To support general practice to implement the National Immunisation Program in accordance with the Australian Immunisation Handbook, 9th Edition 2008 and current Australian Standard Vaccination Schedule
  • To support practices to reach and maintain a coverage rate of greater than 90% childhood immunisation according to GPII statistics

 

Program Details

The key participants in the immunisation program are:

  •  General Practitioners, Practice Nurses, Practice Managers and Practice Staff

The key stakeholders in the immunisation program are:

  • General Practice Queensland
  • Brisbane South Population Health Unit
  • Queensland Health Immunisation Program
  • Australian General Practice Network

The immunisation program objectives are implemented through a number of initiatives:

 


Contact Us

Helen Sutcliffe
Phone: (07) 3274 1886
Work mobile: 0411 721 949

This initiative is conducted annually from November to March (inclusive). The initiative is aimed at improving the immunisation coverage rates for the 48 month old cohort of children. Participation in the competition is voluntary for practice. The Division supplies practices with resources required to be involved at no cost to the practice.

The initiative is designed to encourage parents who receive the 4 year old birthday card and the ‘win a bike voucher’ to take their child to their GP to be immunised thus improving the rate of immunizations being given in this cohort of children.