Immunisation
Policy
We aim to fully immunise all enrolled babies, children, and eligible adults in accordance with the:
See our Immunisation Procedure for more information.
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The practice immunisation coordinator is the nurse manager. |
Refer to Immunisation Advisory Centre: Regional advisors and local coordinators for local coordinator contact information for your region.
All clinicians who administer vaccinations hold a current vaccination authorisation. Practice team members who do not have vaccination authorisation, or are pending authorisation, only administer vaccinations under standing order or where prescribed by a doctor.
New clinical staff are trained on the practice's immunisation processes, including the importance of keeping complete and accurate clinical records, during induction and orientation.
We communicate with patients about immunisation programmes by text, phone, letter, or another method that best suits the patient.
Clinicians record all adverse reactions to immunisations in the patient's record and report these to CARM (Centre for Adverse Reactions Monitoring). Other incidents related to vaccines are recorded and reported in line with IAC requirements.
See also Managing and Reporting Incidents.
We aim to reduce inequities and barriers to accessing immunisation services by regularly reviewing patient data, and by directing eligible patients to outreach services.
Recalling patients
All recalls are managed within Medtech by the nursing team:
- The practice uses query builds, Medtech recall function, DrInfo, Dashboard, Advanced Forms, and PHO reports to identify patients who need to be followed up.
- Every month the recall list is reviewed, and a recall is sent to each patient.
- The immunisation nurse follows up on overdue recalls, and recalls the patient (or parent/guardian of babies and children) an appropriate number of times (usually once per month). Each attempt is documented in the patient record.
- Team members should check the recall status of a patient at each appointment, and should encourage patients to book an appointment for any immunisation due.
- Newborn babies are enrolled as soon as possible so that recalls can be in place before the 6-week check and immunisations are due.
- Immunisation declines are documented in the patient record.
Refer to the Ministry of Health National Immunisation Schedule.
Patients who don't respond
If attempts to contact a patient have failed, we manage this by:
- checking that the patient's details are correct in Medtech
- ensuring the non-responder code is allocated, or leave overdue recall and enter a notation in the recall note area
- ensuring an alert is on the patient record
- updating the recall as appropriate.
If the patient is under five years old and contact with a parent/guardian cannot be made after three attempts, or the child cannot be brought into the practice, contact the local immunisation coordinator or outreach service.
Audits
We regularly audit our immunisation and recall procedures to ensure the process is effective, and to identify inequities and under-vaccinated groups within our patient population. Immunisation rates by ethnicity are identified, and data on Māori patients is included in our Māori Health Plan.
Vaccination coverage rates are regularly received from Pegasus Health and can be extracted from Medtech at any time.
Clinical governance
Immunisation recalls and attendances are monitored by the clinical governance team who ensure immunisation recalls and activities are being managed effectively and equitably.
Audit outcomes are reviewed by our clinical governance group and may become the subject of a 
quality improvement CQI or equity initiative.
Equity
Some patients opt out of immunisations, and we understand that for some patients or patient groups, there may be barriers to accessing immunisation services.
We may direct patients who experience barriers to immunisation services to Immunisation Advisory Centre: Regional advisors and local coordinators to help them find an outreach service, or other alternative provider.
To better enable equitable access to immunisations, we provide information and support by:
- collaborating with outreach programmes
- offering free clinics
- organising or delivering workshops that are appropriate to the population.
Disruptions
If the practice's immunisation recall programme is disrupted e.g. during a pandemic, we prioritise patients as follows:
- High priority: Patients with chronic health conditions and unvaccinated children should be seen as soon as possible.
- Priority: Overdue immunisations, and priority populations.
- Where capacity allows: Newly eligible patients and those due for a scheduled vaccination.