The community must have confidence in vaccination services

The AMA today released its Position Statement on Vaccinations Outside of General Practice – 2011.

AMA Vice President, Dr Steve Hambleton, said that vaccination against preventable diseases is a proven method of reducing the incidence of and deaths from diseases such as measles, tetanus, diphtheria, and Haemophilus influenza type B.

“Australia’s comprehensive vaccination program means that the occurrence of vaccine-preventable diseases is now very rare,” Dr Hambleton said.

“Australia has an excellent record of achievement in the prevention of disease through immunisation.  This record has been built on the quality and safety of vaccination, and our high rates of vaccination.

“GPs currently deliver the majority of vaccines in Australia within an accredited environment.  Accredited practices have processes in place to maintain the potency of vaccines.

“Vaccinations are also delivered by GPs outside of their general practices through workplace seasonal vaccination programs or childhood vaccination programs on behalf of State Governments at schools and community centres.

“They may sometimes also be delivered by other medical or health professionals in locations such as pharmacies, nurse clinics, or aged care facilities.

“We must ensure that vaccinations provided outside of general practices, especially those administered by health professionals other than GPs, are subject to the same safety and quality requirements as vaccinations provided within a general practice.”

Dr Hambleton said current moves to provide nurse-administered flu vaccinations in pharmacies should be rigorously examined to ensure they meet safety and quality guidelines, are accredited, and that people have ready access to medical care should there be adverse reactions to the vaccine.

The AMA has developed a set of principles to provide an appropriate safety and quality framework for vaccinations administered outside of general practice, which includes:

• ensuring that patients are medically advised so they may provide informed valid consent,
• pre-vaccination screening,
• vaccine potency,
• adherence to occupational health and safety standards,
• being prepared for, equipped, and trained to handle any anaphylaxis reaction,
• monitoring for, recognising, and treating any adverse reaction,
• record keeping,
• reporting adverse events to the appropriate authorities, and
• advising patients' nominated GP of the vaccination.

The principles comply with governing regulations, existing guidelines, and best practice.

The AMA believes it is important that these principles should be used by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare (or similar body) as a basis for developing standards to ensure safe and quality practice where vaccinations are provided outside of accredited general practices.

In the interests of patient health, the AMA recommends that any provider delivering vaccine services outside of general practice must adhere to these principles.

The AMA Position Statement on Vaccinations Outside of General Practice – 2011 is on the AMA website at http://ama.com.au/node/6501

31 March 2011

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