From 1 January 2024, the Australian Government will subsidise community pharmacies to administer the National Immunisation Program (NIP) to eligible people aged over 5 years.
The National Immunisation Program Vaccination in Pharmacy (NIPVIP) Program will enable eligible pharmacies to administer vaccines for people aged 5 and over, as per the NIP South Australian Immunisation Schedule and in accordance with the Australian Immunisation Handbook (AIH).
This is in addition to the previously implemented Pharmacy Vaccination Program that enables pharmacists who meet the conditions set out below to administer private (non-NIP) vaccines to people aged 5 years and older. The conditions governing administration of vaccines under the Pharmacy Vaccination Program remain unchanged.
Program implementation of the NIPVIP will be reviewed and demand for vaccines will be assessed.
For more information about the program, including FAQs, eligibility, claiming and payments, visit the National Immunisation Program Vaccinations in Pharmacy (NIPVIP) Program Portal.
The authorisation is conditional to the administration being in accordance with the Vaccine Administration Code (the Code) (PDF 359KB).
The Code applies to the administration of an S4 drug by a registered health practitioner of a class determined by the Minister, for the purposes of regulation 18(3) of the Regulations.
The NIPVIP is listed as a specified immunisation program for the purpose of the Code in addition to the Pharmacy Vaccination Program.
Approved organisations for delivering specified immunisation programs, such as approved pharmacies, administering under the authority of the Code are eligible to participate in the NIPVIP Program.
Pharmacists administering the NIPVIP must have successfully completed an approved immunisation education program (PDF 184KB).
See the list of SA Health approved pharmacies (PDF 501KB) to deliver immunisation services in South Australia.
Vaccines must be administered in accordance with the NIP South Australian Immunisation Schedule (PDF 76KB) and the Australian Immunisation Handbook.
NIPVIP Program vaccines cannot be administered for:
* This defines extra vaccines for specific medical conditions for specific diseases such as pneumococcal, meningococcal and Haemophilus influenzae type b as per the Australian Immunisation handbook.
Information on how to order and store vaccines is available on the Vaccine ordering and storage webpage.
Distribution of vaccines will be regularly reviewed to ensure vaccine stock is available according to usage.
Please ensure you have read through:
Some vaccines are available for people aged 10 to less than 20 years to catch up on missed vaccines. For more information, see the NIP catch-up schedule for people ≥10 years of age. To order these vaccines, contact the Immunisation section on 1300 232 272.
The Australian Government will subsidise community pharmacies to administer NIP vaccines to eligible people aged over 5 years. Not all NIP vaccines are available for ordering for pharmacies.
SA Health funds some additional vaccines under the NIP South Australian Immunisation Schedule (PDF 76KB). This includes the meningococcal B and Japanese Encephalitis Virus (JEV) programs.
Pharmacists are not funded by the Australian Government to administer these. Participating pharmacies administering the JEV vaccine will continue to receive state funding. There is no reimbursement for costs associated with meningococcal B vaccine administration.
Consumers aged 5 years and older can still access privately funded vaccines through pharmacies with a cost applied. Vaccines include:
Due to being outside of the Vaccine Administration Code, privately funded vaccines from 5 years of age cannot be administered for:
Vaccination providers are mandated to report all NIP vaccines administered to the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR).
The Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) records vaccines for people of all ages in Australia. All providers delivering immunisation services must report doses administered to the AIR. To apply to register with AIR, see Immunisation records and registers.
A vaccine administration error occurs when a vaccine is given outside the recommended clinical guideline recommendations and additional clinical management advice is required.
An AEFI is a notifiable condition. Pharmacists working under the authority of the Vaccine Administration Code are required to report an AEFI to SA Health.
For more information on immunisation program resources to support the delivery of immunisation services are available on the Resources webpage.
Immunisation section
Phone: 1300 232 272
Email: HealthImmunisationadmin@sa.gov.au
