The Mid North Coast Division of General Practice Immunisation Project aims to improve and promote the quality and levels of vaccination services provided by general practice, with the overall goal of improving immunisation rates across the Division.  The National Health and Medical Research Council have identified general practice as a major vehicle for the achievement of childhood vaccination rates greater than 90%. Immunisation incentives available through the GPII program encourage GPs to follow up vaccinations and to vaccinate opportunistically on every possible occasion.

Vaccination has been included in practice accreditation to provide further encouragement for the active participation of GPs in the vaccination push for Australia. This project aims to provide support for GPs and their staff through addressing the following issues:

1. Vaccine cold chain:
   Maintaining vaccines at the recommended temperature of 2°C to 8°C from the time they leave the manufacturer to the time of administration is a vital to the success of immunisation programs. In order for vaccines to remain effective they must be stored within the recommended temperature range. Improving immunisation rates will improve population immunity and reduce vaccine-preventable infections only if the vaccines are still effective when administered. Recent Australian experience has also shown that failure to maintain the cold chain adequately can greatly increase the costs of an immunisation program.
   
   To support the General Practices to comply with the National Cold Chain guidelines "Strive for Five", the MNCDGP offers a cold chain data logging assessment and written report to the GPs and their practice staff, on their request.
2. Service quality, co-ordination and GP support:
   The provision of a quality service throughout the area is paramount to ensuring immunisation rates increase. Each service provider must have access to the most up to date information on immunisation guidelines and procedures and be able to answer adequately common concerns about immunisation. A valuable resource which is distributed to all General Practices is The Australian Immunisation Handbook 9th Editon.
   
   The following schedule and vaccine administration resources are available at http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/publichealth/immunisation/index.asp
   
   • NEW POSTER "Is you 4 yr old set  for a Healthy Future " Bright and Colourful targetting Immunisation at 4 years
   • Catch up Immunisation Information sheet while SA Immunisation Calculator website
   • NSW Childhood Immunisation Schedule Vaccination Sites A3 and A4 versions for printing
   • Medicare funded Health Checks and Immunisation considerations
   • NSW Health Funded Immunisation Schedule November 2007
   Ongoing support, education and feedback is provided to all GPs and their practice staff so they can meet accreditation standards for immunisation services. Education and training is also offered to practices to assist new staff. The MNCDGP has organised funding for Practice Nurses to attain their Immunisation Accreditation for Authority to Immunise.
   The MNDCGP assists with sourcing annual CPR proficiency updates to ensure practice Nurses maintain their authority to immunize. Annual NSW Health Immunisation Updates must also be attended.
3. Australian Childhood Immunisation Register
   The Australian Childhood Immunisation Register (ACIR) has been designed to provide information on immunisation coverage and to form the basis of a reminder system. This tells GPs which of their patients are now overdue (ACIR 020A report). The effectiveness of the ACIR is reliant on the accuracy and timeliness of the information received by and sent to the register.
   
   This project will continue to encourage General Practice Immunisation Providers to become part of the GPII scheme, aiming to have all practices participating by the completion of the project. A flow chart is provided to assist General Practices with their reminder systems and data cleaning processes using the GPII 020A report. Contact lists are provided  to offer extended support to practices working to increase their immunisation rates and fulfill current ACIR documentation.
   
   The following documents are attached below to assist practices with understanding notifications to ACIR;
   
   • ACIR Secure Site resource (with screen dumps)
   • Recall Flowchart
4. Informing the public
   The National Immunisation Strategy recommends that consumers have easily accessible, comprehensive and accurate information.
   
   The immunisation project has had an active media program promoting immunisation through a radio campaign and most recently a television campaign to convey positive immunisation messages to the community. The radio campaign in our demographic area was to present a positive message about Immunisation; provide information to consumers that over 90% of GP’s in our division bulk bill for childhood immunisations and also to promote the parent-specific evidence based vaccination information website  at http://www.vaccination.org.au . This website was established by the Northern Rivers Division of General Practice.The MNCDGP has also provided resources to General Practices for consumers e.g Bookmarks, Childhood Immunisation Booklets and Fridge magnets. Updated and relevant information and resources are provided to GPs and their practice staff through the ongoing publication of the Practice Focus Newsletter, and faxed/emailed news sheets which are timely distributed to all General Practice immunisation providers within the Mid North Coast Division of General Practice. Immunisation Resources, information and articles is  also available on the MNCDGP website.Primary Schools in our Geographic area are provided with resources and relevant immunisation information for Kindergarten Orientation days. The resources also include a summary of responsibilities under the Public Health Act explaining what to do in the event of an outbreak of a vaccine preventable disease, exclusions, notifications and record keeping. The 4th Edition of Immunisation Myths and Realities - responding to arguments against immunisation is available by clicking here

For Immunisation Information Sheets  in multiple  languages please click here.
Document explaining the Infant immune system and immunisation is attached below

Related Links

• NCIRS  National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance - http://www.ncirs.edu.au/immunisation/index.php
• GPNSW - http://www.gpnsw.com.au/resources/program-resources/links