Pharmacist vaccinations and injectables

This page has information for registered pharmacists and intern pharmacists about administering vaccines and injectable medicines.

Pharmacists are authorised to administer certain vaccines without a prescription under the Medicines, Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Regulation 2008, Section 352 (Authorisation for pharmacist and intern pharmacist to administer vaccine without prescription – Act, s37 (1)(b)).

The ACT Pharmacist Vaccination Standards (the Vaccination Standards) made by the Chief Health Officer set the conditions and criteria under which a registered pharmacist may initiate administration of approved vaccines.

Update to ACT Pharmacist Vaccination Standards

The Vaccination Standards have been updated to include a broader range of vaccines, and to enable children from 2 years of age to receive flu vaccination. This update aims to improve community access to vaccination services through local pharmacies.

Pharmacists are required to comply with all relevant conditions under the Vaccination Standards including pharmacist training, practice standards, premises requirements and record keeping requirements.

Conditions pharmacists can vaccinate against

An authorised pharmacist may vaccinate people against conditions listed in Appendix 1 (Approved vaccines) of the Vaccination Standards, provided they comply with all requirements outlined in the Vaccination Standards.

An intern pharmacist may also vaccinate against these conditions provided they do so in accordance with the Vaccination Standards and under the supervision of a pharmacist who is authorised and trained to administer the vaccine.

Requirements

The Vaccination Standards include the requirements for pharmacists to meet including training, practice standards and record keeping. These requirements ensure effective safeguards are in place for the administration of vaccines to health consumers.

Go to the Vaccination Standards for the full requirements.

The Vaccination Standards aim to complement other immunisation services and improve public access to immunisation in the ACT.

Vaccination training requirements

Registered pharmacists and intern pharmacists can only administer vaccines once they have successfully completed a training course that complies with the Australian Pharmacy Council’s (APC) Standards for the Accreditation of Programs to Support Pharmacist Administration of Vaccines in accordance with Part A of the Vaccination Standards.

Pharmacists must ensure they have the required clinical and administration knowledge for all authorised vaccines they intend to administer.

Accredited clinical training for individual vaccines is available from accredited providers.

Pharmacists must also maintain current first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) certificates and have a certificate to demonstrate completion of the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA) anaphylaxis e-training for health professionals.

Additional training is required for some vaccines listed in the Vaccination Standards. Pharmacists should carefully review the Vaccination Standards before administering any vaccine.

Premises and procedural requirements

Immunisation services provided by pharmacists must be provided in a clean, fully enclosed consultation room. The consultation room must provide adequate privacy for confidential conversations – a divider or curtain in a dispensary, storeroom, staff room or retail area is not acceptable.

All vaccinations must be conducted in accordance with the Australian Immunisation Handbook.

Vaccine storage must be consistent with the National Vaccine Storage Guidelines ‘Strive for 5’, including the requirement to utilise a downloadable data logger set to measure temperatures at minimum 5-minute intervals; and maximum and minimum temperatures must be manually recorded twice daily.

The pharmacist administering a vaccine must obtain valid patient consent before vaccine administration. The pharmacist must also maintain appropriate premises standards and patient health records in accordance with the Vaccination Standards.

Pharmacists should follow professional guidelines, such as the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia’s Practice Guidelines for pharmacists providing immunisation services

Post-vaccination observation

The pharmacist must either observe, or direct an appropriately trained staff member to observe, the person for 15 minutes post-vaccination to monitor and respond to any adverse events.

Record keeping

All vaccines you administer must be reported to the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR), preferably within 24 hours of administration, but must be within 10 business days. All vaccination providers must also report to the AIR information about whether an individual was pregnant at the time of vaccine administration.

Vaccination providers are encouraged to ask a person if they identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, and record this in the clinical records. While all health service providers are strongly encouraged to ask if a person self-identifies as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander in origin, reporting this information is voluntary and is not linked to a pharmacist’s authority to supply and administer vaccines.

Adverse events following immunisation

An adverse event following immunisation (AEFI) is any untoward medical occurrence that follows immunisation. An adverse event may be caused by the vaccine(s) or they may occur by coincidence (they would have occurred regardless of the vaccination).

Adverse events are not limited to an anaphylactic response and may include other physiological responses such as localised bruising or swelling at the site of injection, migraine, or fainting.

AEFIs are a Notifiable Condition under the Public Health Act 1997 and must be reported to the ACT Health and Community Services Directorate (HCSD) Public Health Response Unit, by telephone on (02) 5124 9213 or by completing an online immunisation adverse event reporting form. If requested by the person, or in the event of an unexpected or serious AEFI, you should also report the AEFI to the person’s nominated medical practitioner.

Find out more information, including pharmacist reporting obligations, at adverse events after immunisation.

Vaccine program arrangements

ACT community pharmacists can administer National Immunisation Program (NIP) funded, Commonwealth funded, ACT funded and privately funded vaccines.

Community pharmacists can register with ACT HCSD to administer NIP and ACT funded vaccines listed on the NIP ACT Pharmacy Immunisation Schedule [PDF 151kB]. While NIP vaccines are free, there may be a fee charged for administration.

Pharmacies participating in the Commonwealth Government’s NIP Vaccination in Pharmacy (NIPVIP) Program can offer eligible patients select NIP vaccines at no administration cost. Pharmacies cannot claim ACT funded vaccines through the NIPVIP program. An administration/consultation fee may apply.

If a community pharmacy is not participating in the NIPVIP and an individual is eligible for a vaccine under the NIP [PDF 238kB] or other Government program, pharmacists should advise eligible individuals of their options for receiving the funded vaccine at no administration cost.

COVID vaccines are funded by the Commonwealth Government at no cost to patients.

Travel health consultations

Pharmacists are an important source of health advice for travellers. When you support a traveller’s pre-travel healthcare needs, it is important they receive a comprehensive assessment and advice based on their individual needs.

They may need a referral to talk to their GP or travel medicine practitioner.

Find out more about pharmacists and travel vaccines and health advice.

Administration of medicines for injection by pharmacists

The Medicines, Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Act 2008 and the Medicines, Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Regulation 2008 Schedule 1, Part 1.9 (Pharmacists and employees) authorises pharmacists to administer medicines, including medicines for injection.

This includes all medicines for injection in:

• schedule 2 and schedule 3 of the Poisons Standard without prescription
• schedule 4 and schedule 8 in accordance with the prescription issued by an authorised prescriber to the patient.

If medicines for injection are within your scope of practice, you should ensure you have completed:

• an accredited pharmacist administering medicines by injection course
• any other specialised training to administer a specific medicine by injection if required.

Injectable services provided by pharmacists should only be provided in a safe, clean environment for the benefit of both the pharmacist and patient.

These services must be provided in a fully enclosed consultation room.

Pharmacists administering medicines for injection should electronically document the administration of the medicine.

Administration of long-acting injectable buprenorphine by pharmacists

Pharmacists undertaking the administration of long-acting injectable buprenorphine (LAIB) must only administer in accordance with a prescription at a pharmacy with a licence to provide opioid maintenance treatment, or other sites licenced and/or authorised to administer opioid maintenance treatment.

Pharmacists administering an LAIB injection must ensure they have:

• undertaken training in the administration of the product; and
• completed Opioid Maintenance Treatment in the ACT - Pharmacist Training Program provided by Canberra Health Services  (CHS).

Pharmacists administering a LAIB injection should ensure they:

• complete accredited clinical training, covering:
  • pharmacology and pharmacokinetics of buprenorphine
  • comparison of available formulations, including dose titration
  • correct administration techniques
  • practical considerations for providing a LAIB service
  • recognition and management of side effects
  • documenting the service
• undergo supervised practical injection training for administration of LAIB
  • this may be facilitated using a blended model including - attend and observe a public clinic (CHS, Alcohol and Drug Service at Building 7 at The Canberra Hospital can facilitate this via appointment only) or observe a private practitioner currently providing this service.

Pharmacists administering LAIB must electronically document the administration of the medicine and should provide documentation to the patient’s LAIB prescriber.

Opioid Maintenance Treatment in the ACT: Local Policies and Procedures [PDF 548kB] will be updated to support these changes to practice, following engagement with stakeholders.

More information and resources

Go to the Medicines, Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Regulation 2008 available on the ACT Legislation Register for full legislative requirements.

For further information, contact the Pharmaceutical Services Section of the Health Protection Service on pss@act.gov.au or 02 5124 9208.

Find out more at:

• ACT Pharmacist Vaccination Standards
• Immunisation Adverse Event Reporting Form
• Australian Immunisation Handbook
• Australian Immunisation Register
• Immunisation - Department of Health, Disability and Ageing
• National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance
• Centres for Disease Control and Prevention – Travellers Health – Destinations
• Staying Safe and Healthy Overseas – NSW Health.