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Study outlines strategies to boost childhood vaccination rates
New research urges coordinated action to reverse Australia’s declining childhood vaccination rates.
Better recognition that ‘the vast majority’ of all vaccines are delivered in general practice is needed, according to an RACGP Quality Care expert.
Providing patients with wider access to vaccination delivery settings and funding health professionals to spend more time educating patients could help reverse declining childhood vaccination rates, a new study suggests.
Published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, the study outlines practical strategies to help improve childhood vaccine uptake including steps that can be taken in primary care as part of a multi-faceted action plan. These include:
- improving accessibility of GP appointments by encouraging and supporting GPs to see new patients for immunisation consultations
- extending vaccination clinic times to after-hours and during weekends
- offering drop-in vaccination appointments
- supporting funding for nurse-led clinics in general practice
- funding healthcare providers’ dedicated time for vaccination conversation
- ensuring there is education around having supportive vaccination conversations in professional development programs, such as the RACGP’s Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Program.
The researchers also noted a need for increased bulk-billed vaccination appointments and offering wider access to vaccination delivery across different settings, such as in general practice, community clinics, pharmacies and at community events.
The recommendations build on
results from a 2024 national survey of parents that identified key childhood vaccination barriers, including out-of-pocket costs, limited appointment availability, lack of opportunities to discuss vaccination with providers and eroding trust.
Lead author Dr Kasia Bolsewicz, a Social Science Research Fellow at the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance (NCIRS), said there is an urgent need for coordinated action across policy, program, healthcare provider and community settings.
‘Childhood vaccination rates have declined each year since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The latest analysis from NCIRS confirms that coverage has remained below the national target of 95% across all three standard age milestones,’ she said.
‘Prioritising catch-up vaccinations for children who are overdue for their recommended doses is essential to protect them from potentially life-threatening, vaccine-preventable diseases.’
Dr Michael Tam, a member of the Expert Committee – Quality Care, said the study offered some commonsense recommendations but steps to broaden access to vaccines can’t come at the expense of the GP–patient relationship.
‘Timely access to vaccination is clearly something that is important, and potentially all preventive activities have a risk of being crowded out when there is overall reduced access to primary care,’ he told
newsGP.
‘Having a specific method of ensuring children have timely access to vaccination-type appointments is a good thing, and that can be done in a variety of ways.
‘But it’s important that any new measures put into place to try to improve access don’t interrupt the relationship that mothers and babies have with their regular GP.’
Dr Tam added that extending access to vaccination via general practice, outside of standard general practice hours, has its challenges, including those times being at higher demand as well as the potential to add to practice costs and resourcing.
The study also recommended education for medical professionals in having supportive vaccine conversations with patients, which could be delivered through CPD programs.
However, Dr Tam said that while he respects there is a message around vaccination education and the role of GPs, this is an area GPs are very familiar with in their care of patients.
‘There does need to be recognition that the vast majority of all vaccines, including childhood vaccines, and other than the school vaccination program, is delivered in general practice,’ he said.
Dr Tam said practical approaches to increase vaccination could include locally driven programs and pilots, with local GPs on board.
‘This can help generate some good ideas at a community level to help support getting vaccines to children who are missing out and explore ways to be able to access those children,’ he suggested.
However, he emphasised that any moves to increase access must not disrupt the existing relationship patients have with GPs, as childhood health and preventive care is broader than vaccines alone.
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