We aim to reduce the incidence of vaccine preventable diseases in the community by providing appropriate and timely information to immunisation providers and the community, and promote the delivery of the National Immunisation Program (NIP).
Children and Immunisation
Although many Australian children are immunised, it is important to maintain high immunisation rates to reduce the risk of outbreaks of serious diseases. Current immunisation rates in the Western Sydney region are below the 95% coverage targets for one, two and five-year old age groups.
To combat these low statistics, we have facilitated the annual Immunisation Bike Competition since 2011, an initiative encouraging childhood immunisation in partnership with local practices.
We provide support to general practices through resources, education and practice visits, as follows:
- Maintain high standards of cold chain management in accordance with the National Vaccine Storage Guidelines resource collection to ensure vaccine efficacy
- Deliver immunisation services in accordance with the NIP and the NSW Immunisation Schedule
- Report immunisation encounters to the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR), a national register that records all vaccines given to people of all ages in Australia
Sharing Knowledge About Immunisation (SKAI) eLearning module for health care professionals is designed to help adapt clinical communication skills to meet the needs of all parents, whether they are ready to vaccinate, have questions or intend to decline vaccination altogether.
A suite of resources and fact sheets are available for health professionals, in relation to immunisation. You can find them on the National Centre for Immunsation Research and Surveillance (NCIRS) website.
Changes to the National Immunisation Program (NIP) have taken effect, with new recommendations to improve protection against meningococcal and pneumococcal disease.
New NIP schedules
Meningococcal changes
- Meningococcal vaccination schedule
- ATAGI clinical advice on meningococcal vaccination schedule changes in July 2020
- Vaccinate to protect your baby against meningococcal B – for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people brochure
- Meningococcal B vaccine – for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people poster
Pneumococcal changes
- NIP clinical advice: Pneumococcal vaccination schedule
- NIP clinical advice: Clinical decision tree for vaccination providers – NIP eligibility of pneumococcal vaccine
- ATAGI Clinical Advice on pneumococcal vaccination schedule changes
Information on the schedule changes
- National Immunisation Program (NIP) schedule changes from 1 July 2020: Advice for vaccination providers – Department of Health
- ATAGI Clinical advice on vaccine recommenations for older non-Indigenous adults
- ATAGI Clinical advice on vaccination recommendations for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
- ATAGI clinical advice on vaccination recommendations for people with risk conditions
- Vaccines must be protected from light – NSW Health
- Vaccine safety data – AusVaxSafety
- Adverse Events Following Immunisation Reporting Form – NSW Health
- Following vaccination – what to expect and what to do (tear-off pads for patients) – Department of Health
- Australian Immunisation Handbook: digital online version
- Poster: Vaccination for health ageing
- Questions about vaccination brochure
The Australian Immunisation Handbook App can now be downloaded from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.
Download instructions:
- Search for ‘Immunisation Handbook’ in either of the above app stores on the device you wish to add the Handbook App
- Select the Australian Immunisation Handbook app. Depending on your device, this may have either ‘Australian Department of Health’ or ‘Medical’ as the sub-heading
- Click the ‘Download’ icon to start
- When the download is finished, you can open the App
A cold chain breach occurs when vaccine storage temperatures have been outside of the recommended range of +2°C to +8°C during storage or transport. This excludes temperature deviations of between 8°C to 12°C of less than 15 minutes.
We have created a Cold Chain Resources and Information flyer for general practices to use.
- National Vaccine Storage Guidelines ‘Strive for 5’, 3rd edition – Department of Health
- Cold Chain Toolkit – NSW Health
- Vaccine Storage Checklist – NSW Health
- Vaccine storage and cold chain management - NSW Health
- HETI Vaccine Storage and Cold Chain Management -
- Annual Self Audit – Vaccine Storage Self Audit National Vaccine Storage Guidelines ‘Strive for 5’, Appendix 2 – Department of Health
The NSW Health Cold Chain Breach and Vaccine Wastage Reporting form has been updated to reflect the recent addition of Bexsero to the National Immunisation Program Schedule.
Immunisation providers must report all cold chain breaches to their Public Health Unit. Vaccines must be quarantined until the Public Health Unit advises on what actions to take. Vaccines must not be discarded without advice from the Public Health Unit.
Phone: 9840 3603
Fax: 9840 3591
Hours of Service: Monday to Friday 8:30am – 5:00pm
Emergencies: For urgent public health assistance after hours phone Westmead Hospital on 9845 5555 and ask for the Public Health Duty Officer to be paged.
More information regarding vaccine storage and cold chain management is available on the NSW Health website.
Public Health Unit
In NSW calling 1300 066 055 will direct to your local Public Health Unit
Australian Immunisation Register (AIR)
Phone: 1800 653 809
Fax: 08 9254 4810
Email: air@humanservices.gov.au
Online Access to AIR: 1300 650 039
NSW Vaccine Centre
Phone: 1300 656 132
Website: https://nsw.tollhealthcare.com/
- 2020 Pneumococcal Disease Webinar, 22 July 2020
- National Immunisation Program Changes, July 2020
- Influenza Program Update, 17 March 2020
- Measles: a local, regional and global perspective, 18 February 2020
The NSW Health Immunisation Unit is providing brief updates to immunisation providers on common issues which have been raised through discussions with general practitioners and their staff during the previous month, the following issues are now available:
Support with Immunisation Queries
Contact the helpdesk on 8811 7117 or email support@wentwest.com.au if you need support or assistance about the current NSW requirements.
Progressing Health Now
Find out more about other Programs and Priorities for Western Sydney.
