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The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare's National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards (Criterion 3.6) requires all hospitals to develop, implement and monitor a risk-based workforce immunisation program in accordance with the National Health and Medical Research Council Australian immunisation guidelines. These programs should be implemented in accordance with advice and direction in the following documents:
For further information also refer to:
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Healthcare worker vaccination programs already exist in most jurisdictions. However, for a number of years, until June 2012, CHRISP has coordinated the state-wide HCW vaccination program. Due to program changes this coordination has been delegated to the Hospital and Health Services (HHSs) from July 1 2012. As state-wide coordination has ceased, the responsibility for funding and coordinating healthcare worker vaccination programs transfers to the HHSs.
The following information is intended to assist Infection Control Practitioners (ICPs)/Vaccination Coordinators in HHSs to continue (HCW) vaccination programs following the cessation of the CHRISP coordinated state-wide HCW vaccination program in July 2012.
Funding arrangements for HHS healthcare worker vaccination programs will by necessity differ from arrangements in previous years. Queensland Health is no longer providing funding at a state level for HCW vaccination programs; either funding for the vaccines themselves, or any administration payments to services. Each HHS will need to make a decision about funding arrangements for these programs.
HHS executive committees should be made aware of the requirements and recommendations for healthcare worker vaccination programs, and of the risks associated with not delivering/not adequately funding these programs. In order to seek funding from HHS executive, vaccination coordinators will need to provide an estimate of the costs.
The main costs to estimate will be:
Healthcare worker vaccine ordering history information has been forwarded to Central Pharmacy. If this information is required to estimate vaccine requirements, vaccine coordinators should approach local pharmacy contacts. Vaccine requirements may also be estimated by running 'Vaccination completion' reports from Staff Protect Application (SPA). The SPA user manual can be accessed from within the application in the "Help" menu.
For assistance with requests for funding vaccine coordinators should contact local finance units, finance officers or business managers.
There have previously been memoranda of understanding with external agencies (e.g. Queensland Police Service, Red Cross) for annual influenza vaccination of their staff. It will now be up to individual HHSs to decide whether to provide this service and to negotiate memoranda if required. A template based on previous arrangements between CHRISP and Queensland Police Service is available and will require review and modification to suit local requirements.
Responsibility for vaccine procurement will now rest with Central Pharmacy. Vaccination program coordinators will need to liaise with their local Directors of Pharmacy to negotiate ordering and delivery requirements. Ensure that this contact occurs well in advance of the influenza season so that arrangements can be in place for ordering and delivery of adequate vaccine for the campaign.
SPA is an enterprise based state-wide application for the recording of:
It continues to be best practice to enter healthcare worker vaccination and screening details into Staff Protect Application (SPA). Support for administration of SPA no longer exists within CHRISP. Refer to the SPA user manual for guidance on use of the application. The SPA user manual can be accessed from within the application in the "Help" menu.
For the requirements of a vaccination program, refer to the Australian Immunisation Handbook. Comprehensive information for vaccine service providers is also available on the Queensland Health Immunisation Program (QHIP) site here: http://www.health.qld.gov.au/immunisation/health_professionals/providers.asp Please note that the information on the QHIP site that relates to vaccine ordering is only in relation to the National Immunisation Program Schedule, and this does not include HCW vaccination.
Information detailing the requirements for vaccine administration by immunisation program nurses is also available here: http://www.health.qld.gov.au/immunisation/health_professionals/nurse.asp
For information about vaccine management, including cold chain management/breaches, and vaccine adverse events, refer to the QHIP site here: http://www.health.qld.gov.au/immunisation/health_professionals/default.asp
The purpose of a SDO is to enable Registered Nurses who practice under section 175(1) of the Health (Drugs and Poisons) Regulation 1996, but are otherwise not endorsed to administer vaccines, to administer vaccines to QH staff and other staff from Queensland Government Departments. Hospital and Health Service (HHS) vaccination coordinators require their Executive Director of Medical Services (or equivalent) to approve and sign the SDO. Further information can be found at: http://qheps.health.qld.gov.au/medicines/projects_initiatives/standing_order.htm
Annual HCW influenza vaccination programs (and any larger scale vaccination programs) require careful planning and forethought. Vaccination coordinators should commence planning months in advance of the vaccination program. Some of the things to consider are:
Strategies to consider in order to increase uptake of influenza vaccination by HCW are outlined in a short guide here: http://www.health.qld.gov.au/chrisp/staff_protect/documents/flu_clinic_tips.pdf
There are a number of networks and websites dedicated to vaccination information for both service providers and the general public. These can be very useful for keeping up to date with developments. The following is a list of some of these:
