Immunisation provider information and resources

Vaccine Updates gives immunisation providers important information, news and changes to immunisation programs and vaccines in Western Australia.

It is important that immunisation providers subscribe to Vaccine updates (external site) to keep up-to-date.

See recent editions of Vaccine updates (external site).

The WA Immunisation Schedules list routine immunisations recommended to be administered at specific times through life. The eligible and/or at-risk cohorts receive free vaccines at the scheduled times. Please see Immunisation schedule and catch-up immunisations for more information such as vaccine eligibility criteria and vaccination programs in WA.

Authority to administer vaccines

Vaccines are prescription only (Schedule 4) medicines. In order to administer vaccines in WA, authorised immunisation providers are responsible for adhering to professional standards, maintaining personal competence and ensuring patient safety.

The Medicines and Poisons Regulation 2016 (external site) provides guidance about the authority to administer of a vaccine.

Immunisation education requirements

Providers working under a Chief Executive Officer of Health (Department of Health) Structured Administrations and Supply Arrangements (SASAs) are expected to have completed additional specialist immunisation training and other requirements as outlined in the conditions to the SASA.

Consent and other requirements

Please review the conditions in the relevant SASA to assess if you need to meet any additional requirements to safely and successfully practice in Western Australia.

Other routine conditions for all providers working under these Arrangements include:

• compliance with the Australian Immunisation Handbook
• ensuring cold chain of vaccines is maintained
• obtaining informed consent for patients and follow procedures in the Australian Immunisation Handbook
• keeping clinical records of all vaccines administered and reporting to Australian Immunisation Register
• reporting all adverse events.

The Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) is a whole of life, national immunisation register, which captures vaccines given to all people in Australia. It is mandatory for all immunisation providers to report all National Immunisation Program (NIP) vaccines administered. Mandatory reporting also includes influenza and COVID-19 vaccines administered.

Immunisation providers who receive and administer other government-funded or private vaccines, should report vaccines administered to ensure individuals have completeness through their AIR immunisation history statement (external site) and their health can be managed effectively. 

A fact sheet outlining mandatory reporting obligations and helpful tips is available on the Department of Health and Aged Care website (external site).

New immunisation providers must register on the AIR by completing the application to register form (external site) and email to immunisation@health.wa.gov.au for WA Department of Health approval. The application is then sent to Services Australia (external site), and a copy is sent to the applicant. For more information on how to register as a vaccination provider and set up access to the AIR visit Australian Immunisation Register for health professionals - Services Australia (external site).

Immunisation providers are responsible for ensuring vaccines received and stored at their premises, are managed by staff educated in cold chain management who follow the National vaccine storage guidelines: Strive for 5 (external site). Please visit vaccine ordering for related information.

An adverse event following immunisation (AEFI) is an unwanted or unexpected event following the administration of a vaccine.

An AEFI may be due to:

• a person’s response to a vaccine component or the vaccination procedure, or
• coincidence, i.e., it would have occurred regardless of vaccination, or
• incorrect handling or administration of a vaccine.

Reporting of AEFIs to the WA Vaccine Safety Surveillance (WAVSS) system is a condition Structured Administrations and Supply Arrangements (SASAs) that provide the authority for immunisation providers to safely administer vaccinations in Western Australia.

Immunisation providers who become aware of an AEFI should use the SAFEVAC Reporting (external site) to notify the WAVSS.

Please visit AEFI for further information about AEFI reporting and surveillance.

Useful information following immunisation is a resource designed specifically to guide providers on how to discuss potential vaccine side effects with their patients, and how common reactions are managed. For vaccine-specific reminders, visit ‘Reminders when using the Schedules’ on Immunisation Schedule and catch-up vaccines.

Ordering WA Department of Health publications

A wide range of brochures, posters, and factsheet publications are available to support immunisation at your premises. To order, visit the publication ordering system (external site) or see instructions on how to place an order (PDF 768KB). Note, publications ordering is a different system to vaccine ordering. For publication supply queries, email publicationordering@health.wa.gov.au.

Further resources

• The Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) (external site) provides annualised data for all children fully immunised in WA (external site). Publications, guidelines, forms and access to the register are also available from this site.
• The National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance (external site) provides information and resources on vaccine preventable diseases including:
  • influenza immunisation coverage data (external site) and
  • Recommended sites for childhood vaccination (This poster details the appropriate site and route of vaccine administration for infants and children. It also contains needle size recommendations, a checklist for preparing for vaccination and additional clinical advice)
• HealthyWA (external site) offers consumer friendly fact sheets about vaccination.
• The Australian Government Department of Health (external site) has a number of resources for health care professionals on various immunisation and vaccination-related topics.
• The Therapeutic Goods Administration (external site) holds product information on all available vaccines and health professionals can also sign up to their regular email product updates and alerts (external site).