Practice Connect #253

Royal Perth Hospital has introduced a Dermatology Referrals webpage providing comprehensive guidance on recommended referral information to improve the accuracy of triaging and ensure patients are seen within appropriate timeframes.

Acne referral information is crucial to identify which patients need early review. The adult acne referral guidance section includes a short copy-and-paste acne referral template which can be copied and inserted into a CRS referral free-text box to fill in.

Detailed guidance for additional dermatological presentations will be added to the website over time.

The Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing has announced that COVID-19 vaccines will transition to the National Immunisation Program (NIP) from 1 October 2026, replacing the stand-alone National COVID-19 Vaccine Program established during Australia’s pandemic response.

Under the NIP eligibility for funded COVID-19 vaccines will change to only people at highest risk of severe disease, with free COVID-19 vaccines available to:

• All adults aged 75 years and over (one dose every 6 months)
• Adults aged 65–74 years (one dose every 12 months)
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 50–74 years (one dose every 12 months)
• All adults aged 18 years and over with severe immunocompromise (one dose every 12 months)

People who are not eligible for a funded COVID-19 vaccine may choose to purchase the vaccine privately based on a benefit-risk discussion with their healthcare provider.

For immunisation providers COVID-19 vaccine ordering, distribution, reporting and program support will move to existing state and territory NIP arrangements consistent with processes used for other NIP vaccines.

Read the announcement here.

Demand for Capvaxive (pneumococcal vaccine) has been high since its introduction on 1 July 2026 as a new adult vaccine under the National Immunisation Program.

The following groups are eligible for free vaccination:

• Adults aged 65 years and over
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults aged 25 years and over
• Adults aged 18 years and over with specified medical conditions that increase their risk of severe disease

Localised supply and distribution issues have temporarily affected the availability of Capvaxive. The Commonwealth Government is working with the manufacturer to import additional doses, and the Therapeutic Goods Administration is prioritising processing as stock arrives in Australia.

Australian Immunisation Register data indicates there are still an estimated 14,000 doses in provider fridges across Western Australia that have not yet been administered. Ordering limits will remain in place until supply stabilises, and requests for additional doses may not be approved. Do not schedule clinics or recalls until supply has stabilised and you have confirmed doses in your vaccine fridge.

Read the full update here.

A new online Cold Chain Breach and Incident Report Form is now available for WA Health immunisation providers. The form also enables reporting of vaccine expiry wastage and transport incidents for all WA Health immunisation providers across both regional and metropolitan areas.

In summary:

• For regional immunisation providers
  • The new online form replaces the cold chain breach manual form and includes Onelink delivery transport incident and expiry wastage reporting
• For metropolitan immunisation providers
  • For cold chain breaches or vaccine wastage (except expiry) please continue to use the separate Boorloo Cold Chain Breach form
  • For vaccine expiry, discontinued products or Onelink transport issues please utilise the new form

Providers who inadvertently select the wrong option will be re-directed to use the correct online form.  As staff become familiar with each new process, if the incorrect form is used, a WA Health representative or your Public Health Unit (PHU) will assist.

The cold chain management web page and Guidelines have been updated.

Refer to the latest information on the cold chain management webpage and if you have questions, contact your PHU.

WA Primary Health Alliance’s (WAPHA) recent General Practice Immunisation Survey provides valuable insights into vaccination delivery across Western Australia, highlighting current strengths and opportunities to improve immunisation coverage. A total of 47 practices responded with practice nurses representing most of the participants, reinforcing their key role in vaccine delivery and quality improvement.

The survey results indicate that immunisation is well embedded in routine general practice. Most practices offer opportunistic vaccinations, almost all deliver seasonal vaccination programs and more than half are undertaking immunisation-related quality improvement activities.

Practices identified several barriers to improving vaccination uptake including limited consultation time, competing clinical priorities, unplanned presentations and vaccine hesitancy. Common contributors to hesitancy included concerns about vaccine safety and side effects, misinformation, conflicting advice and patient preference to delay vaccination.

Respondents noted that further support would be valuable, particularly patient-friendly education resources, practice-level vaccination reports, quality improvement guidance, reminder and recall systems, and training to support conversations about vaccine confidence. Culturally appropriate and translated resources were also identified as important for supporting diverse communities.

The findings will guide WAPHA’s future immunisation support activities including practice-level quality improvement, improved access to vaccination data and reporting, tailored education resources and workforce development to help address vaccine hesitancy.

Thank you to all participating practices. Your feedback will help shape future initiatives that support vaccine delivery and strengthen immunisation coverage across WA communities.

For more information, contact Practice Assist on 08 6278 7900 or email practiceassist@wapha.org.au

Vaccination remains one of the most important ways to protect older people living in residential aged care. The 2025 aged care reforms placed greater emphasis on immunisation across all vaccine-preventable diseases.

WA Primary Health Alliance (WAPHA) is working with general practitioners and pharmacies to support the implementation of the program, with the aim to strengthen immunisation processes in the Residential Aged Care Homes that they visit. Any interested general practitioners and pharmacies are encouraged to contact WAPHA’s immunisation team via immunisation@wapha.org.au to get started.

This program supports Residential Aged Care Homes (RACH) to plan, coordinate and safely deliver onsite vaccinations while meeting key immunisation and reporting requirements.

WAPHA has introduced:

• A resident vaccination tracker to provide quick visibility of each resident’s current immunisation status
• Support for facilities to access the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR)
• Promotion of appropriate cold chain management practices

WAPHA can also provide access to the South Australian immunisation course, Understanding Vaccines and the National Immunisation Program, for RACH nurses where this would support facility readiness.

Our goal is to help RACHs streamline the process, from identifying residents who are due or overdue for vaccination through to vaccine administration and documentation.

The Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing has expanded its childhood immunisation resources with the Diseases we vaccinate against video series, featuring National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance experts.

The short videos help parents and carers better understand vaccine preventable diseases and why timely childhood vaccination remains important. Topics include hepatitis B, influenza, measles, meningococcal disease, pneumococcal disease, polio, rotavirus and whooping cough.

The series complements other childhood immunisation videos and resources, including Videos for expectant parents, Childhood Immunisation resources for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and Schedule and tips.

Together, these resources provide families with clear, trustworthy immunisation information when they need it.

Explore the video series here.

Australia remains on track to be the first country in the world to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health issue, a position built on high rates of Human papillomavirus vaccination (HPV), a robust National Cervical Screening Program (NCSP) and expanded access to self-collection.

However this progress is not guaranteed. While incidence and mortality are predicted to fall nationally, recent declines in HPV vaccination coverage are an early warning sign that these gains can be lost without sustained momentum.

The NCSP Healthcare Provider Toolkit supports best practice across patient education, screening, follow-up and recall, preventing patients from falling through the cracks on the path to elimination.

Read the full article and the Cervical Insight newsletter here.

Presented by National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance
24 September (10am to 11.30am AWST) online

Join National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance (NCIRS) for a practical webinar exploring what the transition of COVID-19 vaccines to the National Immunisation Program (NIP) means for immunisation providers.

Hear from experts on the latest evidence for COVID-19 vaccination, the rationale behind updated recommendations and how to prepare for implementation under the NIP.

Expert speakers will cover:

• Changes to COVID-19 disease epidemiology, vaccine eligibility and funding
• The updated recommendations and their practical application
• Practical tips to support patient conversations and decision-making
• Considerations for priority populations
• Changes to vaccine ordering and delivery arrangements.

Register here.