News

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HPV vaccination records moved to the Australian Immunisation Register

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Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccinations are now recorded on the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR).
 
Before 10 September, the National HPV Vaccination Program Register, operated by the Victorian Cytology Service Foundation (VCS), maintained records of HPV vaccinations.
 
From 1 November, the VCS stopped accepting those records and they have been transferred to the AIR.
 
This change means all vaccination information about a patient will be kept in one place, making it easier for healthcare professionals to keep track of their patients’ records.
 
This change only affects where HPV vaccination information is recorded – it does not affect the National Immunisation Program (NIP) Schedule.
 
As HPV vaccinations recorded on the HPV Register through VCS have been available on the AIR since September, vaccine providers do not need to upload historical HPV vaccination records.
 
According to the National HPV Vaccination Program Register, the fastest way for vaccination providers to submit a HPV dose to the AIR is by:

• using practice management software (PMS), which means the immunisation information transfers directly from PMS to the AIR
• via the AIR site (as outlined below)
• transferring information to the AIR by completing the Australian Immunisation Register – immunisation encounter form.

Vaccine providers who currently send immunisation information to the AIR through their state or territory health department can continue the same process.
 
Manual forms can take up to two weeks to reach the AIR and may cause delays in updating a patient’s vaccination history on the AIR.
 
To record a HPV vaccine on the AIR site:

1. identify the individual
2. select ‘Record Encounter’
3. enter the vaccine/brand, batch number, school (if given at a school) and the dose number
4. select ‘Add’
5. confirm the information is correct, or edit it by using the pencil icon
6. select ‘Submit’.

When the encounter has been submitted, a success message will appear.
 
The patient’s Medicare card and reference number is used to identify them on the AIR. 
 
Vaccination providers can edit or remove incorrect information on the AIR by using the ‘Edit encounter’ function or by calling 1800 653 809.
 
For patients not enrolled in Medicare and who don’t already have an AIR record, providers should document the patient’s full name, date of birth, gender and address. A record on the AIR can then be created that will match to the patient’s Medicare record if they enrol later.
 
Vaccination providers should encourage patients to make sure their personal details recorded with Medicare are up to date. The AIR uses the address and other details that they have with Medicare, and these might be different to the details they provided for the HPV Register.
 
The HPV vaccine is funded under Australia’s NIP. According to The Department of Health, HPV immunisation is recommended for:

• people aged approximately 12–13 years (at school), for free under the NIP
• men who have sex with men, if they have not already had a full course of HPV vaccine
• people over nine years old who have weakened immune systems. 

The best time for a patient to be immunised against HPV is before they become sexually active.
 

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Australian Immunisation Register HPV HPV Register vaccination vaccination records

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