Latest immunisation updates for RACFs
- Watch our latest RACF COVID-19 Vaccination Update webinar
- Read our latest Frequently Asked Questions
- 9 April update
Contact racfvaccination@wapha.org.au if you require any further information or clarification.
Role of the Primary Health Networks (PHNs)
- WA Primary Health Alliance (WAPHA) operates WA’s three Primary Health Networks – Perth North, Perth South and Country WA.
- PHNs across Australia are assisting in the coordination, planning and delivery of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout.
- WAPHA is assisting the Australian Government in the COVID-19 vaccine rollout for people in residential aged care facilities.
Current Situation
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- The Pfizer/BioNTech and the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines have both been provided provisional approval by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).
- The rollout will begin with Phase 1, which has been divided further into Phase 1a and Phase 1b. Phase 1a will include residential aged care facility (RACF) staff and residents.
- Third party vaccination workforce providers have been contracted by the Australian Government to provide the COVID-19 vaccinations in RACFs. In WA, Aspen Medical will be the vaccination workforce provider.
- The roll out in RACFs started on Monday 22 February 2021. Week 7 of the rollout commenced on Monday 5 April 2021.
- As of 4 April, more than 111,000 doses across 1,270 RACFs nationally have been delivered.
- The Australian Government Department of Health and Aspen Medical have provided the vaccination schedule to WAPHA up to mid-May 2021.
- WAPHA and Aspen Medical are contacting each RACF to advise of the scheduled vaccination day as the schedules become available.
- WAPHA has developed a contact list to assist RACFs in this process – External RACF Rollout Reference Key Contacts List. This document should be read in conjunction with the Triage process and scenario mapping for residential aged care facilities document.
- The Australian Government is seeking submissions from residential aged care providers for the safe, targeted and timely administration of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine to residential aged care staff by late May 2021. Residential aged care providers interested in participating can find further information here.
- Information and resources for RACFs, including consent forms and site readiness checklists, are available from the Australian Government Department of Health: https://www.health.gov.au/resources/collections/covid-19-vaccination-resource-pack-for-residential-aged-care Information for consumers, families and carers is available from the following sources:
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- The Australian Government Department of Health: https://www.health.gov.au/resources/collections/covid-19-vaccination-resource-pack-for-residential-aged-care
- If residents or family would like more information about the COVID-19 vaccines, they can phone the national helpline: 1800 020 080.
- There is information about the COVID-19 vaccines available on the HealthDirect website: https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/covid-19-vaccination.
What do residential aged care providers need to do now?
- Review the information available in the Australian Government COVID-19 vaccination – Resource pack for residential aged care.
- Watch our RACF COVID-19 Vaccination Update webinar.
- WAPHA strongly recommends that all RACFs begin obtaining consent for the COVID-19 vaccination from residents and staff. Obtaining consent can take time, particularly for some residents.
- All residential aged care providers have been asked to provide information to WAPHA via a Portal. Please provide this information as soon as possible.
- All RACFs can start working through the COVID-19 vaccination – Site readiness checklist for RACFs.
- Subscribe to our RACF newsletter here.
- Contact racfvaccination@wapha.org.au if you require any further information.
What should GPs working in RACFs do now?
- Review the consent and consumer information available in the Australian Government COVID-19 vaccination – Resource pack for residential aged care.
- Review the COVID-19 vaccination information pathway available on HealthPathways WA.
- Speak to the RACFs where you have patients who are resident regarding vaccination planning and arrangements.
- Subscribe to WAPHA’s COVID-19 Vaccination Update.
- GPs who have questions about the rollout should contact practiceassist@wapha.org.au