Update on H1N1 vaccine rollout arrangements
17 September 2009 - 4:00pm
H1N1 vaccine rollout arrangements – AMA ensures GP voice is heard
Colleagues,
This email is to provide AMA members with an important update on the H1N1 vaccine rollout arrangements. The AMA agrees with the assessment of the Chief Medical Officer that there are compelling clinical reasons for rolling out the H1N1 vaccine now in Australia and we have successfully lobbied for general practice to be a key player in the H1N1 vaccine program delivery arrangements.
We have been an active participant in weekly meetings with the Commonwealth’s Chief Medical Officer and the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing regarding H1N1 vaccination arrangements. During this process the AMA has sought clarification on a number of key issues on behalf of GPs, including the communication and advice being made available for doctors as well as the MBS billing arrangements for both GPs and GP practice nurses.
The AMA has also been a critical player in making sure that indemnity issues for GPs participating in the H1N1 vaccine program were resolved. As at 11 September 2009, all medical indemnity insurer organisations (MDA National, Medical Indemnity Protection Society, Avant, Invivo and MIGA) have confirmed publicly that they will insure their members if they are involved in the H1N1 vaccine program. Most medical indemnity insurers already have some relevant information on their website and have also indicated their intention to communicate directly with their members in the near future to confirm this advice and to provide general information on recommended arrangements and procedures that should be followed.
In terms of the rollout of the H1N1 vaccine program, Health Ministers across the country have indicated their preference for the program to commence after the TGA has fully registered the vaccine, with the AMA publicly lobbying for this as well. While no decision has yet been made about the vaccine registration approval or the timing of commencement for the vaccination rollout, and without wanting to pre-empt any decision that the TGA may make, at this stage we expect that the vaccine will be fully TGA registered and then the vaccine program will commence within the next few weeks.
Although no regulatory decision on the size or number of doses required has been made yet, you may be interested to note that the clinical trial outcomes for the CSL vaccine reported in a recent edition of the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM, September 10, 2009) suggests that one standard dose may provide sufficient immunity in adults. Data for young children and babies is not yet available, so the initial vaccine rollout for this population group will be slightly delayed.
The vaccine itself will be ordered and distributed via the usual vaccine distribution channels that currently exist in each State and Territory, along with consent forms and other useful patient information. There will also be information for the public and for medical practitioners in the form of a questions and answers document.
A priority list of target populations has been decided and this information will be made public to guide GPs about who should get the vaccine first. However, there will be flexibility in the program to allow opportunistic vaccinations of family members and carers as well. All health care workers who have direct contact with patients in either community or hospital settings and/or in public and private practice settings are included in the first target group. This includes all staff working in general practices.
The Commonwealth Government will be initiating a major communication campaign in the next few weeks, including television, radio and print media, to encourage people in the target populations to be vaccinated. GPs are also encouraged to identify and communicate with patients in the priority groups through whatever mechanisms are available in their practice.
Advice to doctors on the H1N1 vaccination program, the priority groups, the guidelines for vaccine administration and other important matters will be available on the Commonwealth Government’s www.healthemergency.gov.au website in the very near future. Medical practices will need to monitor this website advice regularly for any updates in the official clinical guidance for doctors.
The actual vaccine will be distributed in multi-dose vials (MDVs) for adults. Sterility and prevention of wastage will be very important and guidance has been prepared to assist medical practices in this regard. Relevant medical professional groups have developed MDV guidance for medical practices that will also be made available.
The Department of Health and Ageing has confirmed that Medicare benefits will be payable for the administration of the H1N1 vaccine in general practice and, at the AMA’s request, the Department will be alerting Medicare Australia to the likely additional activity around these MBS items to ensure that extra immunisation activities do not lead to unwarranted audit activity.
In summary, the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing has advised that the H1N1 vaccine program is likely to commence very soon. While not every GP or practice may decide to participate, and some may choose to send their patients to public clinics or other practices, the AMA suggests that those medical practices that are intending to provide this vaccination service for patients now start developing a plan for how you will manage requests from patients and arrange scheduling and logistics of the vaccinations in your practice.
The AMA will continue to represent its members in discussions with the Federal Government on the rollout of this vaccine program and will be seeking feedback and experiences from members after the H1N1 vaccine program rollout to feed into the formal evaluation of the program.
I trust that this update from the AMA will assist practices involved in the H1N1 vaccine program rollouts with early planning.
Yours sincerely
Dr Andrew Pesce
President
H1N1 vaccine rollout arrangements – AMA ensures GP voice is heard
Colleagues,This email is to provide AMA members with an important update on the H1N1 vaccine rollout arrangements. The AMA agrees with the assessment of the Chief Medical Officer that there are compelling clinical reasons for rolling out the H1N1 vaccine now in Australia and we have successfully lobbied for general practice to be a key player in the H1N1 vaccine program delivery arrangements.
We have been an active participant in weekly meetings with the Commonwealth’s Chief Medical Officer and the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing regarding H1N1 vaccination arrangements. During this process the AMA has sought clarification on a number of key issues on behalf of GPs, including the communication and advice being made available for doctors as well as the MBS billing arrangements for both GPs and GP practice nurses.
The AMA has also been a critical player in making sure that indemnity issues for GPs participating in the H1N1 vaccine program were resolved. As at 11 September 2009, all medical indemnity insurer organisations (MDA National, Medical Indemnity Protection Society, Avant, Invivo and MIGA) have confirmed publicly that they will insure their members if they are involved in the H1N1 vaccine program. Most medical indemnity insurers already have some relevant information on their website and have also indicated their intention to communicate directly with their members in the near future to confirm this advice and to provide general information on recommended arrangements and procedures that should be followed.
In terms of the rollout of the H1N1 vaccine program, Health Ministers across the country have indicated their preference for the program to commence after the TGA has fully registered the vaccine, with the AMA publicly lobbying for this as well. While no decision has yet been made about the vaccine registration approval or the timing of commencement for the vaccination rollout, and without wanting to pre-empt any decision that the TGA may make, at this stage we expect that the vaccine will be fully TGA registered and then the vaccine program will commence within the next few weeks.
Although no regulatory decision on the size or number of doses required has been made yet, you may be interested to note that the clinical trial outcomes for the CSL vaccine reported in a recent edition of the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM, September 10, 2009) suggests that one standard dose may provide sufficient immunity in adults. Data for young children and babies is not yet available, so the initial vaccine rollout for this population group will be slightly delayed.
The vaccine itself will be ordered and distributed via the usual vaccine distribution channels that currently exist in each State and Territory, along with consent forms and other useful patient information. There will also be information for the public and for medical practitioners in the form of a questions and answers document.
A priority list of target populations has been decided and this information will be made public to guide GPs about who should get the vaccine first. However, there will be flexibility in the program to allow opportunistic vaccinations of family members and carers as well. All health care workers who have direct contact with patients in either community or hospital settings and/or in public and private practice settings are included in the first target group. This includes all staff working in general practices.
The Commonwealth Government will be initiating a major communication campaign in the next few weeks, including television, radio and print media, to encourage people in the target populations to be vaccinated. GPs are also encouraged to identify and communicate with patients in the priority groups through whatever mechanisms are available in their practice.
Advice to doctors on the H1N1 vaccination program, the priority groups, the guidelines for vaccine administration and other important matters will be available on the Commonwealth Government’s www.healthemergency.gov.au website in the very near future. Medical practices will need to monitor this website advice regularly for any updates in the official clinical guidance for doctors.
The actual vaccine will be distributed in multi-dose vials (MDVs) for adults. Sterility and prevention of wastage will be very important and guidance has been prepared to assist medical practices in this regard. Relevant medical professional groups have developed MDV guidance for medical practices that will also be made available.
The Department of Health and Ageing has confirmed that Medicare benefits will be payable for the administration of the H1N1 vaccine in general practice and, at the AMA’s request, the Department will be alerting Medicare Australia to the likely additional activity around these MBS items to ensure that extra immunisation activities do not lead to unwarranted audit activity.
In summary, the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing has advised that the H1N1 vaccine program is likely to commence very soon. While not every GP or practice may decide to participate, and some may choose to send their patients to public clinics or other practices, the AMA suggests that those medical practices that are intending to provide this vaccination service for patients now start developing a plan for how you will manage requests from patients and arrange scheduling and logistics of the vaccinations in your practice.
The AMA will continue to represent its members in discussions with the Federal Government on the rollout of this vaccine program and will be seeking feedback and experiences from members after the H1N1 vaccine program rollout to feed into the formal evaluation of the program.
I trust that this update from the AMA will assist practices involved in the H1N1 vaccine program rollouts with early planning.
Yours sincerely
Dr Andrew Pesce
President
Printer-friendly version
Photo Gallery
User login
