Immunisation is a simple, safe and effective way to protect people against harmful diseases and reduce community spread.
There are many health determinants that can protect your good health or pose a risk to it. One of the most effective behaviours against disease is immunisation.
The World Health Organization considers immunisation to be the most effective medical intervention we have available to prevent deaths and reduce disease in our communities.
It provides protection from a specific infectious disease and its immediate complications. It can also provide protection against long-term complications from infections such as human papilloma virus which can lead to cancers, and infection from the chickenpox virus, which can result in shingles later in life.
When people get immunised, they not only protect themselves but their community. When there are enough people who are immunised (around 95 per cent) it is called ‘herd immunity’.
Immunisation myths
To help counteract some of the myths surrounding vaccines and reassure parents they are safe, watch and share our Immunisation Myths campaign.
WA Primary Health Alliance supports primary care providers to increase vaccination rates in Western Australia.
Our immunisation program is a core part of our preventative health strategy.
We work with immunisers across our regions to provide information and resources for safe, quality vaccination services to protect individuals and communities from vaccine-preventable diseases.
We assist immunisers by:
- Offering training across aspects of the National Immunisation Program, Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) and handling of vaccines, such as cold chain audits.
- Coordinating forums and webinars featuring presentations and updates from respected experts in the field.
- Training practices to use existing data extraction tools, like Primary Sense, to identify patients for specific vaccinations, such as annual flu clinics.
- Providing the latest immunisation updates via our newsletters.
- Disseminating other relevant information via our Immunisation Toolkit.
Immunisation resources
- WA Immunisation Strategy – WA Department of Health
- National Immunisation Strategy – Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care
- Australian Immunisation handbook – Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care
- Cold Chain Management – WA Department of Health
- Brochure resource ordering – WA Department of Health
- Immunisation Myths – Watch our immunisation myths video series
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If you are looking for information about immunisation including COVID-19 vaccinations, you will find more information on the WA Health and Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care website.
- Immunisation (WA Health)
- Immunisation (Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care)
- For general practice staff, GPs and management you will find more information on immunisation (including COVID-19) on our Practice Assist page – The Tool Kit: Immunisation
Pharmacies can find more information on immunisation below:
- National Immunisation Program Vaccinations in Pharmacy – Pharmacy Programs Administrator
- COVID-19 Vaccine Community Pharmacy Program – Pharmacy Programs Administrator
- Immunisation information – helpful links
For residential aged care staff (clinical and non-clinical) and management, see below links for more information on immunisation in aged care settings:
Aged care COVID-19 vaccinations
WAPHA has a key role in supporting WA residential aged care homes (RACHs) and the primary health providers who in-reach to these facilities in their preparedness and response to COVID-19 general management.
The Australian Government is working with the aged care sector to ensure all residents have access to COVID-19 vaccinations.
Residential aged care providers play an important role in ensuring vaccines are available to residents.
Australian Immunisation Register (AIR)
The Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) is an online national register which records vaccines given to all people in Australia. This includes vaccines that are under the National Immunisation Program (NIP), COVID-19 vaccines, and vaccines that are given privately.
Health care providers working in residential aged care that have completed the required training to carry out vaccination services, can review a resident’s vaccination record and record a resident’s vaccination event in AIR.
- Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) – Factsheet for health care providers in aged care
- Watch on demand (video): Accessing the Australian Immunisation Register and My Health Record in Aged Care
Aged Care Program
For more information on the Aged Care Program, we are designing, commissioning, and delivering activities to support access to primary care and aged care services for older Australians.
Subscribe to Aged Care Connect
See upcoming events and webinars
On our event calendar, use the ‘event category’ drop down feature to search for upcoming immunisation events.
Past webinar recordings
For all previous immunisation webinar recordings, please visit our Practice Assist page.