Community Pharmacy Immunisation Program Expansion Will Save Lives

Speaking alongside Western Australia’s Minister for Health, the Hon Amber-Jade Sanderson, at this morning’s announcement, Pharmacy Guild of Australia WA Branch President, Mr Andrew Ngeow said, “every patient aged 5 years and over can now receive their influenza or COVID-19 vaccination at their local community pharmacy.”

And there is more to come.

“Today’s announcement to provide Western Australians with improved access to vaccines is a significant step in delivering the Western Australian government’s 2021 general election pledge to the Pharmacy Guild of Australia WA Branch. It acknowledges the outstanding efforts of community pharmacy to remain open and provide over one million safe COVID-19 vaccines throughout the state,” Mr Ngeow said.

The Western Australian government has announced:

• Expanding the scope of government supplied National Immunisation Program (NIP) vaccinations administered through community pharmacies to include:
  • Influenza vaccinations for people ≥ 5 years, eligible for the NIP, including Aboriginal people, people with medical conditions that increase their risk of influenza, pregnant women, and people ≥ 65 years,
  • Adolescent vaccinations, including Human papillomavirus (HPV), Diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis (dTpa) and Meningococcal ACWY,
  • Influenza vaccinations for primary school aged children, and;
    Measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccinations for persons born after 1965 who have had less than two doses.

Today’s announced expansion covers the supply of the vaccines only and community pharmacy will still have to cover their costs through passing on a small administration fee to patients. The Pharmacy Guild is advocating to the Commonwealth government to cover these costs, as they do for GPs.

“The Commonwealth should deliver equity to patients of community pharmacy. Whilst many patients have been willing to pay a small vaccine administration fee for the convenience and accessibility of a pharmacy administered vaccine, it doesn’t mean that they should do so forever,” Mr Ngeow said.

There are over 500 community pharmacies authorised to provide one or more vaccines in Western Australia, many of these in regional and rural areas of the state. It is anticipated that a community pharmacy will be able to provide this service outside their premises as is currently authorised for other vaccinations.

Across the last two years, as the COVID-19 pandemic threatened, the community pharmacy sector remained open and on the front line. During this time the sector has endured medicines supply shortages and a loss of its workforce however it remained committed to the challenges COVID-19 presented and continued to provide vaccines, medicines, and other services to its patients.

“The Pharmacy Guild of Australia WA Branch thanks Minister Sanderson and the Western Australian government for their commitment to community pharmacy and looks forward to further exploring primary health opportunities for the sector into the future,” Mr Ngeow concluded.