New HealthPathways
New HealthPathways for COVID-19 Vaccination Procedure and Preparing for COVID-19 Vaccinations are now live.
COVID-19 Vaccination Procedures
This pathway will be updated frequently when new information is released by the Department of Health, the Therapeutic Goods Administration and the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation. It is recommended that general practitioners check this pathway regularly.
In summary, the pathway provides:
- Information about COVID-19 vaccination procedure in the ‘Background’ section, which links to the COVID-19 vaccines national rollout phases with the vaccine being initially offered to priority groups at higher risk of severe COVID-19 illness or exposure to SARS CoV-2.
- Detailed step-by-step procedures for:
- Preparing for the vaccination session
- Vaccine clinic screening, assessment and consent
- Vaccine administration
- Planning follow-up
- Referral information:
- Guidance if an allergic reaction occurs in a patient
- How to refer patients for vaccination by accessing the COVID-19 Referrals HealthPathway
- Public Health Unit contacts
- TGA Adverse Event Reporting portal
- NSW Immunisation Specialist Service and phone number 1800 679 477
Preparing for COVID-19 Vaccination
The ‘Background’ section advises that current vaccination schedules consist of two doses delivered by health care professionals who have completed mandatory training on the vaccine and the special requirements for its use, including preparation of the vaccine for multi-dose vials and cold chain requirements.
The following Australian Department of Health key links are provided:
- COVID-19 Vaccination – ATAGI Clinical Guidance on COVID-19 Vaccine in Australia in 2021
- Clinical Guidance and Information for COVID-19 Vaccination Providers
In summary, the pathway provides the following:
- Practice preparation guidelines to prepare a practice to provide the COVID-19 vaccination.
- General practitioner and authorised vaccinator preparation guidelines including links to the Commonwealth COVID-19 Vaccination Training Program.
- Patient preparation guidelines.
COVID-19 MBS Items HealthPathway Update
The COVID-19 MBS Items HealthPathway has been updated to include the 16 new MBS item numbers for COVID-19 vaccinations in general practice.
For a list of all localised COVID-19 HealthPathways and Vaccine Storage and Cold Chain Breaches HealthPathways, see:
Mid and North Coast HealthPathways
Username: manchealth
Password: conn3ct3d
For further information about HealthPathways, email [email protected] or [email protected].
New Primary Care Impact QI Activities
Plan and prepare stand-by capacity for COVID-19 vaccination in general practice
Participating North Coast general practices will help deliver Phases 1B, 2A and 2B as part of the National COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout Strategy.
Although information and arrangements around the delivery of COVD-19 vaccinations in general practice are rapidly changing, this new Primary Care Impact project page can help all participating general practices plan and prepare now.
Visit Plan and prepare stand-by capacity for COVID-19 vaccination in general practice to best equip your general practice and be ready to action vaccines as soon as they become available.
Improve cold chain management of vaccines
With the upcoming rollout of the COVID-19 and influenza vaccines, Primary Care Impact has introduced a new QI activity to help your practice improve cold chain management systems.
Vaccine exposure to temperatures outside the correct range will diminish the potency of vaccines. General practice has a key role to play in maintaining the cold chain management of vaccines to ensure maximum efficacy.
Visit the new QI activity Improve cold chain management to prepare and maintain successful cold chain management processes for your general practice.