Pharmacist immunisers

Authority to administer vaccines

Under Part 6 of the Medicines and Poisons Regulations 2016 (external site), the Chief Executive Officer of Health (Department of Health) has issued Structured Administration and Supply Arrangements that authorise registered practitioners to provide vaccinations. A SASA is a written direction that authorises a health practitioner to administer or supply a medicine to any patient meeting the specified circumstances, and the conditions under which a health practitioner is authorised to administer or supply the medicine.

For pharmacists, these are specifically:

• administration of influenza vaccines by pharmacists
• administration of vaccines by pharmacists
• administration of COVID-19 vaccines in pharmacies.

A SASA is a written direction that authorises a health practitioner to administer or supply a medicine to any patient meeting the specified circumstances, and the conditions under which a health practitioner is authorised to administer or supply the medicine.

Approved vaccines

These SASAs enable the following government-funded WA Immunisation Schedule vaccines to be administered by a registered pharmacist trained in immunisation, when the conditions of the SASAs are met at suitably staffed and equipped premises in Western Australia:

• measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) combination for persons aged 16 years of age and over
• diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis (dTpa) combination for persons aged 11 years of age and over
• meningococcal ACWY conjugate for persons aged 15 years of age and over.
• human papillomavirus vaccine (HPV) to persons aged 11 years of age and over
• Therapeutic Goods Administration registered SARS-COV-2 (COVID-19) VACCINE products, any age
• influenza vaccine for persons 5 years of age and over (as indicated in the WA Immunisation Schedule).

Immunisation provider information and resources

Pharmacists should refer to immunisation provider information and resources to understand WA Health processes and resources available, such as cold chain management, vaccine ordering, important mandatory reporting of vaccines administered, adverse events following immunisation, and vaccine incidents or wastage.

Fees and charges

Pharmacists who decide to charge an administration fee for providing government-funded vaccines to eligible individuals are required to inform them that free vaccination services are available through bulk-billing general practitioners.

Persons who are not eligible for government-funded influenza vaccines, may access pharmacy-procured private influenza vaccine, and the pharmacist may charge a fee that includes the vaccine and administration service.

Many private health insurance companies provide pharmacists free influenza vaccines so their members can access the fee-free service.